Fresh from Finland

Trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack visited us again last Friday, after a six year long pause. Even though the last show in 2003 was probably a little more ambient in surroundings, due to its being held at Provinssirock, the biggest festival and all that, this Arena Showdown did not disappoint. Even though large arenas seldom invoke all those private emotions that seem to build up during smaller, intimate shows – this experience was unlike any before, and I may have just been a little smitten.

The show started off with the fresh new Bulletproof Love, from Splitting the Atom, the new EP release. It was followed by three unreleased tunes. All in all, they played a total of eight new songs. They did sound great, but the anti-consumption – visual show in the background (e.g. 16 Seeter) sort of took a hold of you – as was undoubtedly the point. The background visuals were surprisingly interesting throughout the entire show and the experience reminded me of another british, politically affiliated band, that is Radiohead. Even the guitars and the more in front Robert “3D” del Naja appeared oddly familiar, and brought me back to my Radiohead comparison, even though I would have never priorly connected the dots.

In addition to the lights, the technicalities were conducted in such a manner that one actually noticed them, especially the mixing. The audio was unlike anything I have heard at the arena before. A great example is the baseline that tickled your fancy during Unfinished Sympathy at the same time as guest vocalist Deborah Millers clear vocals brought you goose bumps like it was halloween already.

There were some other visitors on the stage as well. Martina Topley-Bird, whom also preceded Massive Attacks performance, featured a whole new live experience of Teardrop – so surprising in fact that I could help but tearing up in the audience. After that the cheerier mood took over. They included Martina in tracks such as Psyche (Flash Treatment), Mezzanine, Angel and the actual set closer Safe from Harm. All of which she has had her paws on in the past too.

An indisputable climax of the show occurred during the second encore. The new song entitled Marakesh grew and grew eventually into such a mind-blowing experience, that I truly hoped the show would end at that. The casual, calm-tempered audience enjoyed it equally as much as I did and demanded an extension. And I found out that Karmacoma works just as fine as a closer, repeating itself over and over in your head..

The videos are from the Moscow show, 14.10.2009