VNV Nation @ Club Soda

I've been listening to dark wave for a long time now, but truth be told I had never actually been to a show by a dark wave band. I had gone to industrial shows, but industrial and dark wave are not the same thing (an essay to write for another time). So, how fitting that the first one I go to is fronted by one of the foremost groups associated with the genre, VNV Nation.

So on a cold December night, I headed to Club Soda to see what happens when goth kids decide they want to "dance", which translates to shuffling back and forth. I'd love to tell you about the first band, Straftanz, who hail from the beautiful country of Germany, but alas, due to poor planning on my part and a lack of parking around the venue, I missed them entirely.

So I waited until 9, when VNV Nation triumphantly took the stage, and they didn't end up going offstage until after 11. Two hours of songs is pretty impressive, being that most bands you go see play for like an hour and half tops. Not only that, but they managed to play a set consisting of various songs from their eight albums spanning their 16 year career.

However, I do have some issues to address with the band (if they happen to read this review), so let me conclude this review by writing a short letter to them:

Dear VNV Nation,

Hey, long time listener, first time letter writer. Though I thoroughly enjoyed your show in Montreal, I have a couple of suggestions that could make your show possibly be a bit better for the future, so without further delay, here's my list:

1. I like that you say the name of every song you do before playing it. It lets people who may be unfamiliar with the song know what's coming up. However, is it really necessary to come to a complete stop between every song? Surely you can program your computer machines to just continue with a loop or start a new song right off the bat. It really breaks up the flow of your set if between every song you stop everything before going into the next.

2. This is not just a suggestion to you, but to every band ever: stop telling me what to do when I come to your show. I know it can be frustrating if people aren't moving to the degree you want, but again, if in every song you instruct the crowd to "move" or "dance" it becomes quite tiresome. I don't want to play an engaging game of Simon Says, I want to see you perform.

3. No "Darkangel"? Seriously?

4. Your light show is impressive and didn't cause me to think I might start having an epileptic fit. Don't change this.

5. Perhaps I don't understand the finer points of merchandise, but if you try to sell me a CD inside a slipcase and ask that I spend 15 dollars for it, I'm not buying. Especially when going through your website I can get it for cheaper. I already paid the money to see you in concert, cut me a break on buying your music. And also, 25 dollars for a T-shirt?! And not even a tour shirt? Surely you can do better than that.

6. No, seriously: where the hell was "Darkangel"? I mean, you released it as single and you didn't put it in your set?

In closing I was deeply satisfied with your show, even considering the aforementioned points of contention. Please bring your ironically peaceful lyrics sung over dark music back to Montreal soon so we may have another night of enjoyment – perhaps at Mutek this year?

Thanks.

Signed,
Andrew

P.S. Next time I expect to hear "Darkangel," because seriously, come on.

-Andrew Wixq hosts Grade A Explosives on Thursdays from 3-5pm