Photo above, curtesy of Blog user, Ms Corpse Cafe
On May 8th, 2011, I went to the Air Canada Centre to see Rammstein in concert; a German Industrial Metal band known for their "shock-rock" and exhilirating live performances. However, what I imagined to be "shock rock" for this band did not even come close to what I had experienced - it was more like a "shock-rock opera." Their use of theatric aesthetics such as props, pyrotechnincs, and dramatic lighting and lasers added fuel to the intensity of their heavy metal sound. Even the features of the stage were designed to move around and transform into a series of grungy, futuristic scenes as the songs changed. Flame torches, high risers, stunt and flamboyant costumes gave it an over the top, metal fantatsy atmosphere, making it surreal and exciting for the audience to watch. A show for the senses, this band used these elements to create an interactive and accessible experience for the crowd, making them feel as if they were apart of the industrial metal dreamscape. The keyboardist would get involved with the crowd and there was a time where he brought out an inflatable raft and ore and "rowed" himself over top of a sea of hands. In one number, the lead singer had this huge canon that fired foam out at the moshpit. Throughout the whole concert, blazes of heat could be felt by people as far back in the top balconies whenever they were set off, and clouds of smoke hovered over the stadium. As for Ockham's razor, I would say the technical effects were complex, but the way the stage was set up to be able to move around during the performance made it look natural and fluid, rather than an interuption. What I found most interesting was the appeal for the performance, rather than the preference of the actual band. There were quite a few people who entered the concert, unfamiliar with Rammstein and their music, but came out loving the loving the whole show because of their intense performance using pyrotechnics and other amazing sensoryfeatures. For this band, theatrics are not just the icing on the cake, but a stronghold of their image and music.
Video below, curtesy of youtube user, gcarn
No comments:
Post a Comment