3 April 2015. Manchester Academy 2

“Our expression is multi-layered, so that in only one confrontation with it, it is not possible to completely comprehend its structure. It provokes those who do not have the energy to reconstruct and understand the Laibach idea (unmasking social neurosis). But those who will perspicaciously reach the thought are the chosen ones of our times. Laibach unites warriors and opponents into an expression of a scream of static totalitarianism. In art, morality is nonsense; in practice it is immoral; in people it is a sickness.”

Back in 2013 I received a wonderful album by a band I had never heard before. The band was Laibach and the album was called VOLK, a collection of twelve re-interpretations of European and American national anthems. It was extraordinary and at times deeply moving. Since then I have mentioned the band to many people who reply with a blank gaze. I wonder why so many music fans know nothing about a band that is one of the most distinctive, original and literate on the planet. Perhaps it’s because it is from Slovenia, a country not really on the music radar of UK music fans. Maybe it’s because of the uncompromising industrial nature of the band’s music - way too difficult to airplay by today’s highly managed, ultra-safe radio presenters (now you can hardly call them disc jockies can you?). What is painfully obvious is that Laibach is a band or group that needs to be heard by many more.

So the night’s unsupported show in Manchester is rather special for me (despite being on Good Friday and immediately before my 200 mile journey down to London for a road/Eurotunnel trip to Belgium at 8am the following morning) and if anything exceeded my already high expectations. The show opened with the two flanked keyboard players performing a slowly building and extended electronic song which eventually was joined by Milan Fras and Mina Spiler on spoken vocals. It was solemn, highly detailed and a formidable opening to what would turn out to be one of the best concerts I have witnessed.

This show is to promote the band’s latest album which I had not heard. So I was grateful for the comprehensive inclusion of it in a setlist that also touched on a few Laibach classics. The first from the new album was ‘Eurovision’ a distinct and sharp contrast to the previous ethereal song. Singing keyboards were replaced by a dominant bass rhythm with the tiniest bit of space between each series of sonic scuds. “Europe is falling apart” is the oft repeated mantra made to sound even more threatening as voiced by Milan’s monotone deep baritone tones. Calculated, brief vocal interventions by Mina add to the drama of this epic song.

‘Walk With Me’ is next and a prime example of how the band stand back motionless and expressionless awaiting their turn to vocally declare. This time it’s first Milan followed by Mina with a voice that rather surprises me with its quality. She stretches out her arms towards the audience as though pleading for acceptyance and understanding. I loved the whole performance including the crushing bass rhythm that underpinned most songs on the night.

Then the elctro/bass magic of another brand new song in ‘No History’ supported by simple flying white dove image on the video backdrop and Jan Gabrich’s upright stance with massive crashing cymbals. And how effectic the vocal duet was with the sharply contrasting voices sounding as though they were born for each other. This was followed by another special moment in the new album’s opening gambit ‘The Whistleblowers’with its more optimistic vibe, strong melody and truckloads of pop sensibility. It’s an epic track that should be played on every radio station on earth.

‘Koran’ is another new song with an impressive introduction of piano notes and lovely, fragile vocal; almost childlike; vocal from Mina. This song was a revelation for me as it didn’t sound like any Laibach song I’ve heard before. It’s totally and utterly beautiful with lyrics that are both compelling and full of meaning. The melody was also the strongest of all the original song on the night. My moment of the performance. Another new song made its entrance in the heavy dance vibe of ‘Reistance Is Futile’ before the band’s first intermission of the night.

The next half of the show opened with the Jean Moreau song ‘Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves’and  new original songs called ‘Americana’ and the incredibly original ‘We Are Millions And Millions Are One’ which also deserves a prominant place on our airwaves. Classics Siddharts ‘B Machina’and the wonderful re-interpretation of Bob Dylan’s ‘Ballad Of A Thin Man’. Whether re-interpreting or in original mode this band delivers in spades - one of the most compelling live performances I have witnessed in covering hundreds of live shows.

The band had delivered a great setlist including all the SPECTRE album songs and many of the band’s most loved classics. Two encores followed comprising three of the band’s best loved songs (’Geburt Einer Nation’, Tanz Mit Laibach’ and the Opus cover ‘Leben Heisst Leben’ (Life Is Life). The setlist was was pure genius while on the strength of what I heard from the new album I believe it may rank as one of its best and most diverse. As I drove down to London many of the songs played over again in my head while I visualised the black uniforms and contrasting voices. Incredible!

SETLIST

olav Trygvason Poem
Eurovision
Walk With Me
No History
The Whistleblowers
Koran
Resistance Is Futile
INTERMISSION
Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves
Americana
We Are Millions And Millions Are One
B Mashina
Ballad Of A Thin Man
Eat Liver
Bassanova
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
ENCORE 1:
Geburt Einer Nation
Tanz Mit Laibach
ENCORE 2
Leben Heisst Leben