Live music review: Godspeed You Black Emperor and The Legendary Pink Dots at LEVITATION
One thing LEVITATION fans can count on is for things to get weird. Halloween, costumes, trippy psychedelic music, mind enhancing drugs, it’s a cocktail for weirdness. Friday evening’s presentation of pioneering instrumental post rock band, Godspeed You Black Emperor on the Empire Garage Stage followed by The Legendary Pink Dots inside the Control Room with it’s extra wide video screen behind the stage lent to that off-kilter atmosphere on night two of the festival.
Outside on the garage stage, Godspeed was preparing for another dark, sonic exploration accompanied by multiple film reels being manipulated by media artist, Philippe Léonard during the performance. The art-rock vibes were strong with a funky mix of music fans dressed in various versions of professional concertgoer to outlandish Halloween costumes.
Godspeed’s Montreal roots show from the outset as the French Canadian influence is imprinted on the semi-formal concert style presentation the group employs. It made us think of Austin post-rock act, my education who have a similar framework but vastly different approach to their work.
The odd origins of GYBE’s name is even stranger than what we’ve already detailed: “The band took its name from God Speed You! Black Emperor, a 1976 Japanese black-and-white documentary by director Mitsuo Yanagimachi, which follows the exploits of a Japanese biker gang, the Black Emperors.” Bizarre, right?
In any case, the Godspeed You Black Emperor performance was masterful and fittingly appropriate in the former actual automotive repair shop-turned music venue. the wild loops, voice effects, recordings and samples mixed with the orchestral instrumentation on stage made for one of those magical Hollywood-like nights they talk about in the movies. The air was even crisp with coldness akin to something approaching Canadian Winter air for a Southern State.
Their drony-spacy brand of orchestral rock was best when the band presented loud, relatively aggressive arrangements. Their soaring crescendos have this hypnotic effect the group has clearly learned to cultivate over the years. The video from a recent peformance on this same Fall tour is a good example of what their music is like live.
Following that decidedly spacey experience, influential cult band, The Legendary Pink Dots headlined the super late night bill inside. With singer and bandleader, Edward Ka-Spel moving dramatically about the stage while his band mates played synth, keys and guitar along with Ka-Spel’s own keyboard, effects set-up.
The group was founded in 1980 in England before relocating to Holland several years later where the group remained putting out a prolific collection of over 40 studio albums. Deeply influential to British new wave scene of the late 80s, their sound is difficult to pigeon-hole into a distinct style. There’s electronic, synth, Krautrock and performance art influences to their sound. Ka=Spel’s kindly countenance belies an unerring intensity that is channeled into his live performance.
The band has scores of fans around the globe hence it’s a perfect act to book at LEVITATION where at least historically, people came from all over the world. TLPD has a distinct appeal to the ex-pat and multinational set. Ka-Spel’s gesturing and tunic along with dark sunglasses give him a cult leader vibe. Appropriate for a band that can’t help but attract fans who like this sort of art-rock vibe.
What transpired defies description beyond you should watch this clip below and let’s chat about the performance after and what it might mean for rock and roll, Jesus and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Yeah, it’s that weird. And amazing.
Featured photo by Angel Xunkara All other photos by Alexis Ramirez
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