2023-05-09 19:20:03
The Invisible Blue Unicorns – A Musical Phantasmagoria is Mick Harvey with Amanda Acevedo, JP Shilo and (two quarters of) Sometimes With Others (alongside Rachel Maio on cello and Tobias Humble on drums).
As incredibly cool as that is, that Werk02 a stopover of Invisible Blue Unicorns in Graz, there is noticeable frustration in some places in the queue in front of the PPC: At the start of the concert at 8 p.m., which is shown on the ticket, admission only starts in halting slow motion, which also feels like it lasts longer than with many an arena show.
But there is probably only reason for stress for those who have to work the next day and want to have Mick Harvey’s records signed at the merch stand half an hour after the theoretically estimated end of the show.
Be that as it may, the PPC Bar isn’t the best choice of location (especially when you can’t ignore the dishwasher behind the counter during quieter passages), but the sound is actually pretty good (meaning blatantly better than it was on the main stage). on the ground floor is traditional according to experience). In addition, the show is surprisingly well attended (although not really packed according to Harvey’s legendary status), although the relatively high average age of the audience is surprising. In any case, the multinational music troupe liked it in Graz – not only because the previous evening in Berlin, a completely out of place techno club was played, according to an anecdote without lights and a lack of PA, so that the booker had to intervene.
What a The Invisible Blue Unicorns – A Musical Phantasmagoria Admittedly, it wasn’t entirely clear in the run-up, but almost two hours later you’re smarter and quite enthusiastic about the concept of the evening: the former Birthday Party– and Bad SeedsMember Mick Harvey has as bellwether in the run-up to his collaborative record with the Mexican chanteuse Amanda Acevedo, alongside drummer Tobias Humble and cellist Rachel Maio, also guitarist/singer Mika Bajinski and bassist Yoyo Röhm from the Berlin band Sometimes With Others (who otherwise still Marie-Claire Schlameus and Swans– or. Pere Now-Mann Kristof Hahn belong) together with the atmospheric all-purpose friend JP Shilo, to accompany this collective operating under the name of The Invisible Blue Unicorns with a changing line-up through a program that feeds on cover songs as well as newly interpreted originals of the respective sources present.
That sounds then over long stretches as if Calexico leave the texmex behind and wander further into the drone, rock and blues. In any case, musically the offered program is absolutely great with almost subversive virtuosity and a lot of feeling in the constantly noticeable class.
Divided into two sets of around 53 minutes each, which are separated by a break of almost 20 minutes, the material concentrates on duets with Acevedo Phantasmagoria in Blue at the same time loosely touched in the center: where Harvey (also thanks to his well-versed knowledge of German) really supercharismatically leads through the entertaining show and up to the hint of slapstick (brand: what is the keyboard doing to me?!) wonderfully smugly entertaining numerous laughs on his so sympathetic side, show up in numbers like Song to the Siren(the really great melancholically arranged) Love is a Battlefield or Milk & Honey however, the somewhat less convincing passages of the revue – which is subjectively sometimes due to the latently insecure presence of Acevedo and her slightly underwhelming voice, which then only creates a limited chemistry with Harvey and here and there the most prominent of the interpreted numbers not necessarily can give essential relevance.
Of course, in the context of that, it’s whining at a high level, because it’s like in Phantasmorgia in 2 (played with borrowed echoing capo), Alba or the grandiose She Won’t simply great scenes with the duo in the limelight are created – and it with the “twice botched at the beginning”Theme song“ The Blue Unicorn as a strangely recited translation-recitation also delivers the most obscure contribution with mischievous nonchalance. Let’s just agree that it’s just damn nice to be able to hear these amazing musicians doing what they enjoy so much – it’s best if they don’t commit too much to covers that have been covered elsewhere and can throw their own advantages more seriously into the scales. In other words: the anticipation of the joint album by Harvey and Acevedo, who somehow also have a fascinatingly enraptured charisma, is definitely there.
However, as the basis provider for all the other musicians involved, what Harvey has put together for this tour is all the more brilliant. (And maybe it’s just the element of surprise that it was mainly JP Shilo and Sometimes With Others left an outstanding impression: admittedly, neither the Australian multi-instrumentalist, who acts as singer and guitarist on this tour, nor the tongue-clicking German band – although only half of the staff were present – had previously been on the radar; Both parties, musically forming the perfect symbiosis, use this status, coming out of nowhere, at least to arouse collective rapture.)
What the group of Bajinski and Röhm and Shilo together with the strong Humble, Maio and Harvey sparks for fireworks is simply breathtaking.
It starts with the atmospheric start to the evening and ends with the rocking eruption Hey Hey, The Horses before the balladesque piano piece Tamed its first climax before all dams break in the last third of the show: the highlight Where The Water Tastes Like Wine grows from a twisting, brazzing rocker to an excessive jam, Widow’s Peak maintains the wicked groove and Know it drives the psychedelic to loud power. Untitled shows how Can’s Vitamin C probably as Swanssong would have sounded and after the successful Serge Gainsbourg bow Bonny and Clyde as the first encore, the evening is over for Harvey, who wants to watch the last number while the merchtable is being set up (“one more song, then please go home…tomorrow is a working day!“).
What follows is Whole Lotta Love presented as a pure triumph, absolutely original and intense. Or: Led Zeppelin cover and not only fail because of it, but trigger a bit of ecstasy by completely adopting the original – you have to do that first. What then, on the one hand, is all about the immense potential that The Invisible Blue Unicorns slumbers, and on the other hand expresses the quality of this evening.
Setlist:
Invisible You
Naked When You Come
The One
Hey Hey, The Horses
Tamed
Song to the Siren
Phantasmagoria in 2
Love is a Battlefield
I Hear a New WorldThe Blue Unicon
At dawn
She Won’t
Milk + Honey
Misty Light
Where The Water Tastes Like Wine
Widow’s Peak
Easy as a Gun
Know it
UntitledEncore:
Bonnie & Clyde
Whole Lotta Love
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