Music
Nitzer Ebb Murders the Mod Club
Nitzer Ebb, pioneers of EBM, proved they've still got the beat, rocking out with boundless energy at the Mod Club on Tuesday night.
Think of EBM as the bastard child of Kraftwerk and Nine Inch Nails. It's raw intensity makes for a great soundtrack to your toughest workout. And it's really fun to dance to. The physical and severe dance sound that the band embodies is a cathartic experience to witness in live performance. Nitzer Ebb contemporaries Front 242 once called this music "Electro Disco Terrorist Music" and it's easy to see why.
Lead singer Douglas McCarthy was front-and-centre all night, pacing back and forth across the stage like a wind-up toy that was just let loose. His energy and stamina held up throughout the show.
McCarthy looked slim in a black suit and tie. His crisp, white shirt soaked up more and more sweat as the night progressed.
His two bandmates were relegated to the rear of the stage, often standing up at their drum kits throughout the show.
There were no keyboards or bass guitar visible; just an open laptop computer that provided the electronic synthesizer and sequencers. Not that it was lacking, visually or otherwise. It just wasn't that kind of show.
I was surprised how long it took before the suit jacket came off. McCarthy must've lost at least five pounds' worth of sweat up there. And the crowd was loving it.
Once 1990's Lightning Man started, the crowd kicked into action and started to really get hyped.
The songs that got the biggest reaction from the Toronto audience were the ones that broke the band into the industrial dance movement: Murderous, Let Your Body Learn and Join In the Chant, which had everyone shouting out the title by the end of the song.
It's hard to believe that That Total Age was released over 20 years ago, for which Nitzer Ebb toured with Depeche Mode on their Music For the Masses album. It didn't seem to matter an iota that Nitzer Ebb's last album Big Hit came out in 1995. On Tuesday night it was as if the full moon transported us into a time warp back a decade and a half.
I Give To You got a few more bodies moving. But no one could match McCarthy up on stage, except for maybe this one little blonde woman who thrashed about, maybe five feet from the front of the stage throughout the entire show. I wish I still had that much energy.
Just over halfway through the show, the white shirt was saturated and had to come off, much to the delight of many in the crowd.
The opening band, locals Opopo, put on an enthusiastic show, before DJ Lazarus, warmed up the oh my goth! set as they waited for the lightning man to strike.
Photos by Roger Cullman.
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Damn, I missed them! Too bloody busy this year... missed VNV Nation (suggestion: buy ALL their albums!), Devo, and now Nitzer Ebb... barroooowwwww!
WAHHHH I missed it :(
Would have brought back memories of my angst-y youth.
How the hell did I miss this?!
Had no idea they were still active... For all NB fans and all who like odd stuff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18mWnQ6gDlI
Just for clarification, Nitzer Ebb toured with Depeche Mode on the Violator tour.. along with Jesus and Mary Chain. They played Exhibition stadium and it was awesome (and my first concert!).
That's a show I could have, and should have gone to, and I will never entirely forgive myself for missing it. I went to a friend's birthday party instead. I later saw all 3 bands at different times, in different venues, but people I know who've seen DM multiple times, swear that was the best tour ever.
I was at this show, and I can honestly say that this review is an accurate description of the performance, but there's no mention of the new material that was played ('Promises' is exceptional), and their first album was named 'That Total Age', not 'That Total Edge'. :) By the way, would the photographer who took the above photos happen to have been the guy who I saw shooting with a Canon SLR?
I'm not familiar with Nitzer Ebb's entire catalogue, which is probably why I didn't recognize the new material. I've corrected the album title now, thanks. And no, you've got the wrong photographer. I shot all the above photos with a Sony a700 SLR.
Great shots, love the B/W...very appropriate
Actually, Nitzer Ebb toured with both Music For the Masses (in Europe) and Violator (North America) according to this interview on Nitzer Ebb's German website.
The band just announced that they'll once again be touring with Depeche Mode in early 2010 in support of their Tour of the Universe album in Europe, starting January 9 in Berlin. Nitzer Ebb's new album, Industrial Complex will have its official worldwide release on March 9. The album features a song Never Known from the Saw IV soundtrack and a song Once You Say that features Martin Gore from Depeche Mode.
Roger, I'm not that familiar with the new stuff, either, since up until I bought the tour edition of the new album at the show (it won't be released worldwide until January), I'd heard just two or three of the tracks, which had been on recent soundtracks. I have to say that I'm pretty impressed. By the way, those are great photos. Black & white captured the intensity of the performance really well. I would have taken some with the Nikon D80 that I'd brought, but I found that the battery was dead, and I didn't have a backup handy, so I was left holding a pricey paperweight while I shot with my Coolpix L1 p&s and phone camera.
Okay, correction. It will be released in a few European countries on January 22, 2010. The worldwide release will probably in March, as you mentioned.
Will probably BE in March. Darn typo. ;)
Actually,
NE was suppose to open for DM on the music for the masses tour when they played at Maple Leaf Gardens but had visa issues and a band called Farm State opened instead.
Toronto wasn't initially on their tour itinerary for some reason. That's likely why you missed this. Lack of advance notice for promotion. Even the tour t-shirts left off Toronto from the list of cities they're playing on this tour.
Apparently, the band loved the Toronto show too, according to their brief blog post.
Perhaps McCarthy will return to Toronto in May, since there's a planned stop in Montreal again as Fixmer/McCarthy.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/industrial-complex-tour-edition/id342374518
new album for download..and not few but most of the european countries..as always its only u.s thats the problems..Jesus and the mary chain was NOT a support act on depeche mode World violation Tour in Europethat was Front 242
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/industrial-complex-tour-edition/id342374518
new album for download
Well I didn't miss them.....I happen to be that lil' blonde with the energizer energy 5 feet from the stage. Definetly in my prime 30+ years, but when you have a band that just belts it out tip top, what else can you do but go whole hog and let the music take you over! Wicked show! Truly glad I was able to experience it. Nitzer ebb rocked the Mod Club hard! So did I! Thanks for a smashing show boys!
I'm not missing anything...off to the Gramercy to see them TONIGHT! Maybe there are still tix? Click my link above to see.
Well so much for the link coming through: here it is
http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/413388
OMD opened for Depeche on the music for the masses tour in America. Nitzer opened in Europe. They were finally able to come to the US in 90 after having some VISA problems. Depeche however did want Nitzer Ebb to open for them on the Concert for the masses tour in America as they were Fletchs favorite band at the time.
Fletch ???......i was Martin gore`s voice that was into NEP as support act in U.S
I just saw Nitzer Ebb in Philadelphia, and they were awesome! I got a copy of their new album at the show, listening to it now, and it is really good. How was the NYC show? Saeed
i wait almost 15 years to see them again, and they play in t.o. the day after i leave for australia! grrrrrrr.
'getting closer' will always be my favourite.
i was also at the Philly show, unbelievable!!!! i saw them many times over the years, the first being w/DM. just as great 20 years later. it was great seeing them at such a small venue because you really got a chance to be upclose and personal w/the band.