PHOTOS OF THE YEAR 2016
Photos by Morten Aagaard Krogh, Tom Spray and Amanda Farah
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PHOTOS: A Place To Bury Strangers, Loppen, 10.04.2016
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LIVE REVIEW: A Place To Bury Strangers, Loppen, 10.04.2016
Brooklyn’s A Place to Bury Strangers have built a reputation based on their intense live shows and blistering volume. I’ll vouch for that reputation; this is a band I’ve seen more times than I can count on one hand. I’ve seen them in different venues with differently proportioned stages and different qualities of sound systems. I’ve seen them enough that people ask why I would go see them yet again.
It’s a fair question. When you’ve seen a band play enough, there’s a certain amount of predictability, even if that amounts to expecting something wild to happen. In addition to noise, there’s a fair amount of flailing and some acts of violence against musical instruments to be expected from this band.
In the case of APTBS’s show at Loppen, the unpredictability began innocuously enough, with them opening with “I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart,” a song that in previous years would be used to blast the audience apart at the end of their set. If that’s how you’re starting things, how on earth do you follow from there, never mind end them?
What follows is some fog from the smoke machine, a budget light show stitched together with strobes and projectors by a roadie constantly having to switch and reposition them (it’s impressive for what it is), and yes, plenty of noise. There’s a little instrument swapping, but not so much that it slows the pace of a show representing a good span of the band’s catalogue.
Halfway through the set, the stage grows completely dark. Drummer Robi Gonzalez leaves the stage, then bassist Dion Lunadon, leaving frontman Oliver Ackermann alone, barely visible in the faint light and smoke, producing a sound from his guitar similar to a thunderstorm. It soon transpires that they’ve set up on the floor a few feet away from the stage, surrounding gear that can’t be distinguished in between flashes of a strobe light, which proves dangerous when the neck of Lunation’s bass nearly makes contact with my face. It’s an unexpected diversion from the glimpses of thrashing bodies through strobe lights.
In answer to an earlier question, they end things with as much feedback as possible — Ackermann first setting his mic against an amp and when that doesn’t work throwing his guitar on the stage and flipping the amp over on top of it. Antics were anticipated, and delivered on, but not exactly as expected. And for that reason, I’ll be there the next time they’re in town.
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Photos of the year 2013
The Hives, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 31.01.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The Men, Stengade, Copenhagen, 21.03.2013 (Photo by Morten Krogh)
The Soft Moon, Loppen, Copenhagen, 30.03.2013 (Photo by Morten Krogh)
Shout Out Louds, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 09.04.2013 (Photo by Hilmar Darri Flygenring)
Folkeklubben, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 25.04.2013 (Photo by Morten Krogh)
Autre Ne Veut, Rust, Copenhagen, 23.04.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Daughter, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 10.04.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Japandroids, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 03.04.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Jake Bugg, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 02.04.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Palma Violets, BETA, Copenhagen, 31.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Schultz and Forever, DR Byen, Copenhagen, 03.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Araab Muzik, KB3, Copenhagen, 08.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Metz, Ideal Bar, Copenhagen, 04.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Crystal Castles, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 02.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Cody, Store Vega, 01.03.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Widowspeak, Loppen, Copenhagen, 08.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 10.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The Eclectic Moniker, Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 10.05.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Broke, Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 11.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
MØ, Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 11.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Iceage, Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 11.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The White Album, Øresundsfestival, Malmö, 11.05.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Bruce Springsteen, Parken, Copenhagen, 14.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Bring Me The Horizon, Amager Bio, Copenhagen, 18.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Beach Fossils, Stengade, Copenhagen, 21.05.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Nick Cave, Optimus Primavera Sound, Porto, 31.05.2013 (Photo by Janye Yong)
Blur, Optimus Primavera Sound, Porto, 31.05.2013 (Photo by Janye Yong)
Grizzly Bear, Optimus Primavera Sound, Porto, 01.06.2013 (Photo by Janye Yong)
A$AP Rocky, Falconer Salen, Copenhagen, 11.06.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Mew, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 12.06.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The National, Loppen, Copenhagen, 20.06.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Trash Talk, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 27.06.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Drenge, Roskilde Festival, 04.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Savages, Roskilde Festival, 04.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Slipknot crowd, Roskilde Festival, 04.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Animal Collective, Roskilde Festival, 04.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Metz, Roskilde Festival, 05.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
EL-P, Roskilde Festival, 05.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Iceage, Roskilde Festival, 06.07.2013
Action Bronson, Roskilde Festival, 06.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The National, Roskilde Festival, 06.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Metallica, Roskilde Festival, 06.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Sigur Ros, Roskilde Festival, 06.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
James Blake, Roskilde Festival, 07.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Roskilde Festival, 07.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Queens Of The Stone Age, Roskilde Festival, 07.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Kraftwerk, Roskilde Festival, 07.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Kraftwerk crowd, Roskilde Festival, 07.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
John Legend, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 16.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Sleep Party People, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 27.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The Smashing Pumpkins, Falconer Salen, 31.07.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
AlunaGeorge, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Cloud Nothings, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Julia Holter, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
The Walkmen, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Autre Ne Veut, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Japandroids crowd, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
We draw A, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Fucked Up, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
My Bloody Valentine, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Japandroids, OFF Festival, Katowice, Poland (Photo by Tom Spray)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, 07.08.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Ice Cream Cathedral, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 07.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Haim, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 07.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Tame Impala, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 09.08.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Dirty Beaches, Copenhagen, 11.08.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Mikal Cronin, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 11.08.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Ducktails, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 11.08.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Trans Metro Express, Strøm Festival, 13.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
The Haxan Cloak, Cisternerne, Copenhagen, 14.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Ice Cream Cathedral, Malmo Festival, Road Trip, 17.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Baby In Vain, Malmo Festival, Road Trip, 17.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
David Byrne & St Vincent, Falconer Salen, Copenhagen, 22.08.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
MS MR, Rust, Copenhagen, 28.08.2013 (Photo by Ivan Boll)
Matthew E. White, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 09.09.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
A Place To Bury Strangers, Loppen, Copenhagen, 24.09.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Delorean, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 25.09.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
Editors, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 26.09.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
MGMT, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 01.10.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
James Blake crowd, Falconer Salen, Copenhagen, 06.10.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Baby In Vain, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 04.10.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
Washed Out, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 09.10.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Foals, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 15.10.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Julianna Barwick, Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, 20.10.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Biffy Clyro, Den Grå Hal, Copenhagen, 01.11.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
The National, Forum, Copenhagen, 02.11.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Julia Holter, Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, 05.11.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Falconer Salen, Copenhagen, 08.11.2013 (Photo by Jonas Bang)
The Woken Trees, UK tour (Photo by Jonas Bang)
Crystal Stilts, Stengade, Copenhagen, 14.11.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
Fuck Buttons, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 16.11.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Volcano Choir, Amager Bio, Copenhagen, 18.11.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Youth Lagoon, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, 20.11.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
EL-P and Killer Mike, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 20.11.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
The Tallest Man On Earth, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 21.11.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
Get Your Gun, Russia/Estonia tour, fall 2013 (Photo by Jonas Bang)
Trentemøller, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 22.11.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Blouse, Loppen, Copenhagen, 26.11.2013 (Photo by Morten Aagaard Krogh)
MØ, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 28.11.2013 (Photo by James Hjertholm)
Queens Of The Stone Age, Forum, Copenhagen, 29.11.2013 (Photo by Jen Tse)
Destroyer, Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, 03.12.2013 (Photo by Ivan Boll)
Kurt Vile, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 05.12.2013 (Photo by Ivan Boll)
Oh Land, Store Vega, Copenhagen, 12.12.2013 (Photo by Ivan Boll)
Cut Copy, Lille Vega, Copenhagen, 13.12.2013 (Photo by Tom Spray)
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A Place To Bury Strangers | Loppen, Copenhagen, 24.09.2013
