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Live Review: Killing Joke – December 14th, 20101, Vancouver, B.C.

December 21st, 2010 Filed under: Reviews - Live by Editor in Chief

(Photo - Mike Chow) CLICK TO ENLARGE

Live Review – Killing Joke
Tuesday,  December 14th, 2010
Venue, Vancouver, B.C.

A dark and rainy night in Vancouver- Is there any other kind? The air is crisp, damp, and charged with anticipation for the third appearance of punk/hardcore/industrial/metal legends, Killing Joke.

Their previous show was at Richards on Richards, Gods bless its memory. That show was in support of their second self-titled album, and it showcased what a bludgeoning experience this band can be in a live environment.

Clearly the word of that last show circulated amongst the clad-in-black. The attendance then was strong, but nothing in comparison to what was seen last night at Venue. Packed in shoulder to shoulder, one might be tempted to think of sardines, except those tiny fishes don’t wear as much leather.

Venue itself is a surprisingly well laid-out live environment. There are excellent sight lines, the stage is a decent size, and the sound system is more-than-adequate for the size of the room. All in all, this is a very good space to see a band and still maintain that all-important sense of ‘intimate connection’. Indeed, patrons were overheard filing out of the show, “It felt like Jaz was singing that song straight to me!”The promoters knew their crowd- warming up the mood was a mix of post-punk, goth, industrial, and new-wave “classix” that brought to mind the halcyon days of the Twilight Zone and Luvafair. It would have been better to stick with this though- the single opening band was disappointing to say the least. Their drummer and bass player were superb, but the vocalist was an off-key, charisma-deprived disaster. Perhaps it was for the best that they wouldn’t let anyone know what they were called.

Then it was time. Expectations straining to the breaking point as the herald-track comes on, a collection of samples and material from Blade Runner- then one by one the band files onstage. The original lineup, finally together again: Paul Ferguson, Youth Glover, Geordie Walker, and Jaz Coleman. There is one newcomer- Reza Udhin, on synth. This band of nigh-mythic status is composed of individuals who are old hands to this game, and it shows. There is a casual confidence that shows through on every level; they don’t need to prove anything to anyone except themselves. Their body language is relaxed, but with poise that speaks volumes. They aren’t here to deliver a lazy show.
What a show it is. They blast straight into ‘Tomorrow’s World’ from 1980’s self-titled album, and follow it with an unexpected treat for the old-school fans- ‘Love Like Blood’ seems more suited to an encore track, but since when do Killing Joke follow conventional plans? Spearheaded by the surreal energy and presence of Jaz, the whole band gels into one force; when they crash into ‘Wardance’, the crowd goes berserk and all is well with the universe.

Surprisingly, the audience showed as much or more enthusiasm for the material off of Absolute Dissent, the album the band is touring. Most bands with a history as long as Killing Joke tend to accumulate a legion of fans who are slaves to ‘the old stuff’. The passion and energy shown by this crowd for the latest songs prove that these guys have remained relevant and powerful musicians. Mind you, over the course of the 20-song setlist, there’s plenty from all eras to please the faithful.

For those of you who missed it- well, you don’t need any more salt in the wounds. Let this stand as an admonishment though. No excuses next time! For those who were there, you already know what an amazing show it was. Killing Joke has directly influenced dozens of extremely high-profile superstar bands. Last night’s show at Venue was a physical example of exactly why it is, that so many others want to be just like them.

READ OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KILLING JOKE IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF ABORT MAGAZINE

killingjoke.com

By Keith Durocher

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