Browse column

Now that we're back in the swing of things, there’s something to do in Moscow damn near every night of the week. This means that I’m back to getting horrible sleep and drinking too much. Shit, in the last week alone I’ve probably put on about three pounds of beer fat. And there's plenty more where that came from.

Up first this week is something you should know about, if only to make sure you avoid it: Swiss cheez-metal band GOTTHARD (September 25, Tochka, 18:30). The band is ex-KROKUS, of all things, and their influences cover the full spectrum of middle-American classic rock radio.

If you need to hear loud guitars on a Tuesday night, better to check out RIVUSHIE STRUNY (September 25, Project OGI, 22:00; October 5, Aktovy Zal, 20:00), claws down the eXile's favorite local band at the moment. This is some of the rawest, most ferocious garage acts we’ve ever seen in Moscow: Vova Terekh’s two-string bass assault is backed by noodling guitar psychedelia and a drummer with an obvious jazz background and one of the deepest pockets in town. At both gigs, the guys will be supported by locals THE BOO, who combine late-60s proto-punk with the goth post-punk sounds of BAUHAUS and JOY DIVISION. The Aktovy Zal show will also be supported be locals SOBAKI TABAKA. No recon on them yet.

Ah, postwar Japan. The combination of a post-apocalypse mindset, affluence, lack of lebensraum, and ancient and inscrutable Japanese preoccupations have produced some truly amazing things: Battle Royale, bukkake, Pokemon, the neon baby raver-schoolgirl look taken to perfection... The Japanese have also done some interesting things with music. Like the free jazz combo SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA (September 26, Ikra, 20:00). A multimedia jazz group, the band combines traditional Japanese instruments, modern jazz, big band, with the occasional dash of performance art. If you like jazz, find the shakuhachi flute one of the most peaceful sounds on earth, and you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to drop an anvil on Yoko Ono from the fifth floor balcony, check it out.

Subway Shoguns: Two faces of the SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA, which brings its bizarre bag of sounds to Ikra on the 26th.

Since this "nu rave" crap just won't die—"look mom, no neon!"—I guess it's worth mentioning Russia's answer to KLAXONS and SHITDISCO: YOGO!YOGO! (September 27, Ikra, 21:00). They're not very good, but they've been able to go to Top Shop and buy lots of hot pink and bright lime green clothes, so they’re pretty authentic by local standards.

The most annoying part of writing this column is covering shows I couldn't care less about. For some reason, much of this shit has German roots. Let’s just get through this: German semi-goth electronic band DAS ICH (September 27, Tabula Rasa, 20:00) and German teenage pop stars TOKIO HOTEL (September 27, Olimpisky, 19:00) are playing at the same night.

Shizer! What’s a German expat to do?!

The e-z answer would be to check out IDM DJ KEEF BAKER (September 27, 16 Tons, 22:00), primarily since he doesn't have anything to do with Germany. After starting out in a string of death metal bands, Baker moved into indie, and then into jazz before becoming a session bassist. After tripping balls and listening to some SKINNY PUPPY and AUTECHRE records, he moved to electronic music and has been mashing post-industrial with breakcore ever since.

Pages:     Previous   1 23 Next

Print   Share article