Tuesday, October 21, 2014

In This Moment: I understand the appeal. But I still don't get it. I do, but I don't.

In This Moment, Aftershock 2013
Maria Brink, In This Moment, Aftershock festival, Sacramento
An In This Moment show is an intensely-visual, over-the-top, Gaga-esque combination of metal mayhem meets S&M meets the stuff of your nightmares... or male dream-fantasy-gone-bad. When I saw them at Aftershock 2013, it was like a dirty nurse almost-soft-port-movie with a metal backdrop, but with "dirty" meaning not only naughty-sexy but "dirty" as in the filthy sort of stuff you don't ever want to find close to an open wound. I was in the pit, surrounded by guys who were having trouble holding their cameras up, because their chins were resting on their boots. Drool, drool.

In This Moment, Aftershock 2013
In This Moment, Aftershock, Sacramento
I do get it: the visuals are compulsive viewing, the antics are... daring, the anti-Madonna, the burlesque, S&M Gaga, the more-than-decent band (who maybe-unfortunately become just a backdrop to Maria Brink and her dancers or "blood girls").  And I do understand why this type of production gains a major following; people love that kind of drama. It is, after all, easy. And no, I'm not a Lady Gaga fan either (though I do have a lot of respect for Madonna).

In This Moment, Aftershock 2013
In This Moment, Aftershock, Sacramento
But it's just a tad too over-the-top visually, and not-enough musically, for me. I need the music to stand up on its own: the theatre, the show, which the best performers put on is a wonderful extra. But the music, and the vocals, come first in my list of priorities.

In This Moment, Aftershock 2013
In This Moment, Aftershock, Sacramento
Absolutely yes, I would go to another of their shows--if only to keep working on understanding my reaction to them, or to work out why the Maria Brink voice that I remember from Aftershock is nothing like the Maria Brink voice I hear on their recordings. Definitely, a show worth seeing (but no, I wouldn't take kids, in case anyone's wondering). They'll be at Knotfest next weekend, and have a huge tour ahead including a date at San Francisco's Fillmore in December.


The first single from In This Moment's upcoming new album, Black Widow, which will be out on November 17th. I'm looking forwards to hearing it (without the show, just the sound). The single Sick Like Me is out now: watch on YouTube and make your own mind up!




No comments:

Post a Comment