Culture: Deafheaven @ Bottom Lounge, Chicago 2014

(Drivebycuriosity) - There are many good things in life. Rock music is one of the best. Great rock concerts are pure joy. They can release you from the daily grind for a while and refresh your power. The Deafheaven gig I experienced @ Bottom Lounge, Chicago last Friday was one of them.

The black metal from San Francisco almost went beyond the limits of rock music. Their thoroughly composed pieces, based on delicately structured melodies,  reminded me a bit of baroque compositions like Händel`s "Music for the Royal Fireworks" and Vivaldi´s "The Four Seasons".  But the virtuous song lines rode on massive walls of sound. This created an unique melange of grace and sheer power - priceless.

Deafheaven´s greatest asset is the voice of frontman George Clarke. I have never heard anything like that. The frenetic energy of his screams  perfectly harmonized with the sound of the band (3 guitars and drums). Clarke is a master of celebration. The frontman orchestrated the crowd before the stage like a great conductor. As a part of the show he let himself fall frequently into the crowd while continuing his screams. He literally sought "das Bad in der Menge" (as we would say in German), loosely translated with "takes a bath in the crowd." The combination of band, voice and show mingled together into a very intense concert experience.

Before Deafheaven we enjoyed the performance of the hardcore band  "Perfect Pussy". 2 guitars, 1 keyboard and drums delivered a furious feedback orgy which backed the show of front woman Meredith Graves. The vocalist´s very elegant outfit, with well-cut hair, would be suitable for a hostess of an high-class party on Manhattan´s Upper West Side, but the girl rocked furiously. Her performance swung between svelte posing and dynamic movements. Her screams amplified the fierce sound of the band, even though the weak sound system of the venue swallowed much of her contribution. 

The event will stay in my mind for a long time. Thanks a lot Deafheaven & Perfect Pussy.

P.S. I used partly pictures from Deafheaven`s performance @ Chicago´s Pitchfork Festival 2 days later because my point-and-shoot camera had problems with the darkness at the Bottom Loung concert.