Gigs: Iron & Wine; Immortal

Heh heh yup I decided to wait after the Immortal gig just so I could have that as the title. I'm like that.

Iron and Wine is Sam Beam, his first album 'The Creek Drank the Cradle' on the legendary SubPop label, was a collection of low-fi bedroom recordings. Since then a couple more albums and some EPs have been released. I got hooked on the album 'Our Endless Numbered Days' and the EP 'Woman King'. Breathy, hushed, delicate lyrics over a low-fi country (ish) guitar backing. Wonderfully emotional touching music. Things clicked totally for me when Sam teamed up with Calexico for 'In The Reins' EP. That EP is one of the most perfect albums I own (Neil, it's also available on Gods Own Format). Calexico brought a bit more rock (for want of a better word) to Sam's delicate delivery. So when I heard Iron and Wine was coming to Wellington it was a no-brainer, even better he was bringing an 8 piece band (although I only saw 7...) in support of the new album 'The Shepherd's Dog'.
The Shepherd's Dog is excellent, there's more movement going on in the rhythm section which is moving I&W away from the purely acoustic low-fi vibe of the early couple of albums.
The band featured members of various other alt-country bands, but the stars had to be Calexico's pedal steel guitar player and the drummer ?Ben Massarella (Califone). Awesome stuff. What set this gig apart from the usual run through the songs, thank the audience etc was the variety. The first few tracks were Sam, his guitar and his sister recreating the delicate melodies from the early work. I've never heard the SFBH that quiet. Gradually more of the band turned up leading to some wonderful reinterpretations of older work and funking of the new stuff.
Yeah funking. There was a distinct Rock/Funk vibe running through that band and damm was it good. In theory breathless delivery, pedal steel guitar and funk should not work. But it did, wonderfully. One of the best gigs I've been to, ever. Possibly even better than M live at Oswestry...
Iron and Wine Homepage includes samples
Tracklisting that I swiped from somewhere:
The Trapeze Swinger/
Cinder and Smoke/
Resurrection Fern/
Jezebel/
Each Coming Night/
Peace Beneath The City/
On Your Wings
/Lovesong of the Buzzard
/House by the Sea/
The Devil Never Sleeps/
White Tooth Man/
Boy With A Coin/
Sodom, South Georgia/
Woman King/
Song of the Wolves
--
Naked as we came

Immortal are one of the pioneers of Black Metal. Hugely influential without the extremist Satanism some of the BM bands throw around. From the Norwegian school of BM (not to be confused with the Swedish school as readers of the blog will be aware!) the music is pretty brutal, but does demonstrate a level of sophistication and complexity, typical of the Norwegian/Swedish BM vs some of the US counterparts.
I hadn't heard masses of Immortal, but figured we get so few BM gigs here that it was worth going - and Nick and I had had a great time at Napalm Death.
Immortal were a huge improvement over Napalm Death. The band is tight, focussed and damm can they play. Great gig, and although I hadn't heard much of their stuff I got the feeling the earlier music is more thrash/brutal than their later stuff (later 'sort-of' confirmed by Nick - he's a Gorgoroth fan so big crossover with Immortal).
The audience were possibly more scary than the band - who are known for their Corpse Paint look (see picture). Personal hygiene was not big on this groups list, and hair fell into two categories - very long or none. Nick and I looked quite odd with out 'some' hair option. Good natured audience tho, which does seem to be typical of metal and extreme metal gigs I've been to. The same as the Napalm Death gig, quite a few hot babes. Quite a few of which didn't seem to be attached to long haired (or shaved) boguns. Weird.
Glad I went, it was fun, interesting and strangely relaxing.

I have Wilco on Monday which will round off the gigs nicely :)

Love, me