Akoustikus Magma Ticket Scans - 2009

Lyon, April 29, 2009

Magma - Alhambra, Paris - December 4, 2009

Here is the 2nd night of the 4-night set, courtesy of Rodolphe.

Magma - Alhambra, Paris - December 3, 2009

Our good friend Rodolphe uploaded a recording from December 3, 2009 from the first night at the Alhambra in Paris. Magma recently played a four-night stint there from December 3rd through the 6th, and Rodolphe was there with his trusty recorder.

It took me a while to search the Zeuhl and Beyond blog for this show, because all of Epanou's cats were telling me to vote !

The FLAC files can be downloaded here.

Peppo's Review of Magma, Oslo, December 12, 2009

They played

"Slag Tanz" (Untitled according to Stella),
Felicite Thosz,
Ëmëhntëhtt-Re and closed with a very intense Kobaïa.

By the time of the encore I was totally exhausted, being slightly cold and having walked all day plus the show not being seated. But mostly because of the total intensity of the performance. They really did give their all, it seemed. Out of my now four Magma shows, this has to be my favourite yet. Awesome. Audience was absolutely enthusiastic. Christian was very positive, more so than I've ever seen him; smiling, shaking audience members' hands. His drumming was far more precise and fitting than at the RIO festival in Carmaux, and generally I thought they were tighter.

Some new compositional elements in both "Slag Tanz" and Felicite Thosz. "Tanz" transitions into major chords a few times -- not sure how I fel about that. Felicite Thosz however has really matured on me, and I really like it now.

Fortunately no "Le Gospel". Phew. I know at least two other PE members were there, maybe they can chime in...

Photos from Oslo

A few photos of Magma in Oslo on December 12, 2009 can be found here.

Other than that, not much information has come out of Norway about this concert. I heard that the audience had to stand throughout the concert, and that they played their standard set (Kobaia instead of Le Gospel as the encore).

Can some kind Osloian write a brief review for this blog?

Video - Le Gospel

Our friend Robert Issehn uploaded a video clip of Magma (and guests) performing Le Gospel at the Alhambra.

Magma à l'Alhambra - Le Gospel

DIME - Magma - Paris - December 6, 2009

Here is the last show of a 4-night stand that Magma has at The Alhambra in Paris. Thanks to the taper and sharer, metro_cubo.


LDB Master Series #220

Hello, this is a collection of masters I would like to seed here. I've been taping shows for more than 20 years and have an awful lot of masters. Most of them are in the old cassette format, some others are on MiniDisc and others are on CD. I've taped many shows of many artists over the years, so don't be surprised if you will find many different artists taped! Some shows are already circulating, some others have not circulated through collectors yet. But most of all, enjoy! They all come from my master tapes!

MAGMA
Paris, Alhambra
December 6, 2009

01.Slag Tanz
02.Felicité Thosz
03.Ëmëhntëht-Rê
04.Intro Stella Vander / Gospel (with choir)

TT 124:51

Lineage: Aiwa CM-DS6 > Edirol R-09 > HD via USB > SoundForge 7.0 > CD Wave > FLAC Frontend (level 6)

Christian Vander — Drums, Vocals, Percussion
Stella Vander — Vocals, Percussion
Isabelle Feuillebois — Vocals
Hervé Aknin — Vocals
Benoît Alziary — Vibraphone, Keyboards
James MacGraw — Guitar
Bruno Ruder — Fender Rhodes
Philippe Bussonnet — Bass

Since 1990 (when I saw the band for the first time at La Cigale in Paris) I must have seen the band
no less than ten times. Some shows I liked, some other did not at all. But this one, which closed
Magma's 4-days residency at Alhambra was probably among the best, that's why I decided to seed this
show. Part of this was the excellent little tiny venue called Alhambra which is rapidly becoming my
favourite venue in town: great sound, great seats, great look from every part of it, all in an
extremely intimate atmosphere. In that way, I was able to appreciate the full potential of the band.

And the band itself is reaching one of their peaks of their career, which is quite reassuring if you
think that they are celebrating their 40 years. The new pieces - yet unfinished and unreleased - Slag
Tanz and Felicité Thosz do show that this band is still able to produce masterpieces. Of course you
need to like Magma's music. I was once again impressed by Stella's powerful and gentle singing, much
more than Vander's drumming. But the whole band was in a state of grace: the set-list seems now well
rehearsed and at its peak. Not to mention the (now complete) Ëmëhntëht-Rê suite for which we've been
listening to extracts here and there for the last 30 years. The last encore was a complete surprise:
Stella introduced a choir formed by their friends and collaborators (included Stella and Christian's
daughter) that has accompanied the band in a nice and simple gospel ("to demonstrate that Magma music
is nothing but difficult").

So enjoy this nice show. I did enjoy it very very much.

ldb

Magma at L'Alhambra, Paris, Dec 3-5 2009

Wanted - Reviews of the concerts at L'Alhambra.

It has been reported on the French Magma forum that Magma played a new piece called Le Gospel as an encore instead of their usual Kobaia or Ballade. The special guests for this encore were supposed to be Julie Vander and Marcus Linon.

Magma - December 18, 2009 - Rennes

Magma in Oslo, Dember 2009

The actual link is here.

Vander Interview - London, Oct 2009

Right before the show at the Barbican in London in October 2009, there was an interview with ChristianVander, and the English-language transcript is here. The two-part interview was by David McKenna and Ludovic Merle.

Review (in German) - Magma in Basel Oct 9, 2009

(Thanks to Nadir for this one. And thanks to Hamtaahk for the translation to English)

This is from "Basler Zeitung" from October 12, 2009.



BOILING BATH OF SOUND

Magma in the Grand Casino Basel

On Friday evening, Magma made the Grand Casino shake. The French cult prog-rock band overwhelmed fans and newbies alike in an eruption lasting two hours.

Not two minutes after opening the doors, the small concert club on the 2nd floor of the Grand Casino Basel is filled. The majority of the visitors is male, middle-aged, and wearing a black t-shirt with a red logo symbolizing flowing lava. When the eight musicians of Magma enter the instrument-filled stage, the 250 seats have become devotionally quiet. The calm before the storm.

Drummer and band leader Christian Vander (61) quickly counts in, then it erupts over the audience - this viscous musical mass made from repetitive unisons (e-bass and vibraphone), which carries bulky pieces of dissonant chords (guitar and Rhodes piano) and shoots fountains into airy heights (male and especially the two female vocals).

From time to time you think to recognize some familiar ingredients in this jingling primordial soup, like a swinging jazz cymbal, a rocking, driving, growling bass, sometimes a simple triad in major. But this boiling bath of sound can only be enjoyed by those who do not stick to listening habits, but who let themselves be driven and carried along.

For three pieces and roughly 45 minutes, there is nothing familiar: although Vander and Co. could make use of a repertoire from 40 years of band history, they open the two-hour concert with unpublished compositions from the album "Emehnteht-Re" announced for the end of this year.

SLOW-BURNER. This incarnation of Magma has existed for 13 years with almost no changes in cast -- longer than all predecessors -- and it amazes how well-rehearsed and interlocked the octet can play. When Vander plays his drums against his troops, insisting on a skewed rhythm, or when his wife Stella together with Isabelle Feuillebois and Herve Aknin sound a brightly shining chord over the turmoil, then you get the musical perfection often missing from the loud genres. But since Magma don't trap themselves into celebrating their own virtuosity (except for a too-long Rhodes solo), we can hope that this volcano won't go out for a long time.

Magma - Basel, Switzerland - October 9, 2009

Our friend, Magma fan Guy Mas, has shared a number of photos from the Basel gig. They can be downloaded from here.

Mr. Nadir has shared his copy of the ticket and program to the show.

And, finally ... Mr. Hanwaker uploaded a torrent of this concert to DIME.

Magma - Vevey, Switzerland - October 8, 2009

Here is a review of the concert from our friend, Akoustikus:

Excellent concert last night in Vevey, Switzerland. Bruno's Rhodes solo was completely different from the one I heard last May. The man can surely improvise. The version of Hhai was one of the most savage I've heard. From then on, the rest of the show was very intense, with Vander taking a lot of risks (yes, he did fail once or twice, but who cares). Same setlist as usual, but no Ballade.

I spoke to Bubu and James after the show, and they were both pleased with it. Some information about E-R: Mixing is done and it has gone to the factory, so the CD will definitely be released November 5th. James's brother did the cover art. A lot of singers and piano players are featured: Manu, Bruno and Vander himself as well as Benoît (vibraphones are keyboards, right Marc?).

New Magma Recording on DIME - London Oct 6, 2009

Magmasystems Note

Thanks to the anonymous taper who sent me this recording of the Magma show at the Barbican. I am uploading it for him. There are some scans and photos that can be found at the Kohntarkosz blog (http://kohntarkosz.blogspot.com).

One thing to notice ... Magma did not play the final "funeral" section of E-R that night. That's why E-R only clocks in at 43 minutes.


=====================================================================


Magma - London, Barbican. 06 October 2009

"Celestial Mass"

Audience Master/FLAC

Sound: Very Good

Location: Row 8, Slightly to the left - about 3 meters from the front of the stage. Superb!

Source: Sony ECM-719 mic > Edirol R-09HR (44.1 Wav, 16 bit, Low Cut - off, Limiter - off, mic gain - Low, plug in power - on)
> Adobe Audition > TLH > FLACS > Zip > You.

Set list:
Disc 1 - 39:34
1) Slag Tanz 12:11
2) Felicite Thosz 27:20
Disc 2 - 57:03
3) E-R 43:46
4) Band introductions 1:45
5) Kobaia (Encore) 11:29

Line Up: -
Christian vander - Drums, Vocals
Stella Linon - Vocals & Percussion
Isabelle Feuillebois - Vocals & Percussion
Herve Aknin - Vocals & Percussion
Bruno Ruder - Fender Rhodes
Benoit Alziary - vibraphone
James MacGraw - Guitar
Phillippe Bussonnet - Bass


With: Chrome Hoof & JP Massiera.

Recorded by SA
Enjoy! Don't sell.

A Genuine Space Rock Preservation Society Master Stereo Recording. SRPS CD116/7

Magma - Barbican, London - Oct 6 2009 - Photos and Scans

Some images, a programme, and a ticket stub from our good friend, Steve Ashworth.

StuArt's Review of Magma, Barbican, London - October 6 2009

Magma – London Barbican 6 October 2009.

London’s Barbican Centre is a neo modern mass of concrete luxury apartment blocks and arts centre. It was probably quite futuristic at one point – like the movie ‘A Clockwork Orange’ I find it dated and quite freaky. Anyway my friends & I get in at about 19:15 and find the hall. We have just a few minutes to check out the merchandising stalls. CDs are a good value £12 and I get the last 3 to complete my Magma studio collection. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) they don’t accept cards and when I turn round and see the other stall with T-shirts and the live ACT CDs and DVDs I’m down to my change. I manage to scrape enough for a Gold/Black logo T-shirt but they only have it in XXL so I have to settle for a black/red logo shirt in my size. Then I see the live in Japan 2CD for £30 and I want it but I’m out of cash…..next time.

I have a look round in the foyer and there’s a real mix of people. I was expecting a 90% stereotype of slightly balding, 45 year old males with raincoats and glasses – a gathering of me’s in other words – but no a whole host of people are here, parents have brought there teenage children and teenage children have brought their parents, I’m quite pleased.

Settling down in our seats and they are superb 8^th row just left of centre. The Barbican is superbly raked, so we can all see, and the chairs are padded, with wide leg room – heaven.

The lights dim and a collection of about 8 silver robed people walk onto the stage, one approaches a full sized harp – Chrome Hoof have taken the stage. Then their beautiful Amazonian lead singer Lola Olafisoye takes command and leads their space ritual. They are hard to describe – two dancers appear – women dressed as in Buck Rogers (70’s era) meets mad Max and perhaps that’s how to describe CH’s music. Rock – Disco ? Certainly lots of cosmic sounds that Hawkwind would like but with a hard edge rhythm – sometimes like Einsterzenden Naubauten - driving them, and all with Lola’s awesome vocals. Spectacular to watch. Then JP Massiera joins them, being lead onto the stage by the two dancers. He is obviously revered by many in the crowed, so I’m probably going to upset a few by saying this but apart from a few strange guttural noises, a poem & a few hits on a drum synth – why? I’ll leave that there.

So onto Magma. My 5^th Magma show, the last 2 being the Nancey Jazz pulsations festival in 2007 – where they did their 4 decades retrospective, fantastic. So I was expecting a lot. I know Himiko and Antoine Pagnotti have left but it doesn’t really hit me until Herve Aknin walks across the stage, stands up to the microphone and is directly blocking out my view of CV. Slag Tanz starts and I’m annoyed – I want Himiko & Antoine. This is a heavy piece and it quite shocks me, the vocals are hard, the drums pound and the bass thunders – its full on powerful and then drops down with the celestial voices of Stella and Isabelle, but not for long as the bass blasts off again with CV’s drums and another heavy section, it builds and drops floats for a while and then gets heavy for the final section. Magma in a microcosm. Good Magma, Classic Magma. Phew. About 12 mins. An enthusiastic crowed applause.

Next is Felicite Thoz – after the opening crashes it extends into a beautiful vocal exchange between the 3 vocalists and CV’s delicate drums. Half way through the crowed think its over as the vocal passage ends and Bruno Ruder solos on his Fender Rhodes. The others apart from CV leave the stage. Bruno runs up and down his FR and the reverbed sounds float around the hall. The rest of the band join in and the piece builds for the second section and the climax. This is a great Fender Rhodes heavy version of this.

After the applause Stella speaks to the crowed and introduces the next song from their next album ‘out next month’ E –R.

Large drum crashes, vocals and Benoit Alziary’s vibraphone feature at the start. It moves into the heavier section and Herve features on vocals again and is excellent and seems to fit in perfectly. We get a bit of James’ guitar soloing now as the piece builds. In the middle it drops again and Herve is superb again with Stella and Isabelle providing harmonies. The piece builds for its final climax and all musicians are working full on together, seeming to enjoy themselves and their art. Then down and its all over. A 43 minute song.

Stella then thanks every one and introduces the band and they play out with a great version of Kobaia which features a great guitar solo by James. 12 mins and it’s really all over. I want more but there is none until next time. I hope its not another 5 years until they play in London again.

Overall – Superb!! It was great to hear the new pieces from the new CD. The sound for me was excellent and I could hear every instrument perfectly. I introduced some friends to Magma and they were amazed. A great night, thanks to all especially the band.

Cheers

StuArt

Magma - RIO Festival, Carmaux Sept 18, 2009

A big Zeuhl Kiss to Robert Issehn for this video.

Magma - Barbican, London October 6, 2009

Magma is getting prepared to invade the British shores once again.

I think that there might be a special guest soloist on Kobaia....

Poster - Magma, Brest, March 21, 2009