Quick review: Cave + Camera

.HBC's website may state that the club is currently closed, but I was there last night, confirming that the venue has reopened and not much has changed.

When I went to .HBC in the past, gigs always started early. Therefore, we arrived at Alexanderplatz at 9 pm, not wanting to miss Camera, a band I have been disappointed and mesmerised by on previous occasions. By now I am just so intrigued by this trio. However, not only were we an hour early to the original start time of the concert, Camera also came onstage with a half hour delay, after missing their percussionist. When everyone was already assuming that they were not going to perform, a befriended drummer stood in and played one song with the band. Of course one song is not a set, but at least this group's songs are very long and very good. They gave a sterling performance, albeit a distinctly too short one. All the audience's pleas for more were in vain - the band could not play more without their original band member. Overall, another odd experience with Berlin's most promising local group.

Cave delivered exactly what I had expected. Some of their songs are absolute pearls of instrumental psychedelic wave music, others are just so-so, a little bit on the funky side, and would be well-placed as background film music. And this is what it feels like live, too. Some songs just gripped me so hard, moved people to dance freely in the half-filled cinema room. And others just made you watch on, nice songs but nothing that leads to you to yearn for more. When the already oxygen lacking room started to really fill with cigarette smoke, after about six to seven songs, I had to make my exit. I was actually starting to feel nauseous and was getting coughing fits, which is unusual for me in my career as a die-hard punk venue attendee. 

A good night, though a little odd and lengthy. We got home and wondered what that was all about but were glad to have seen Cave play. I just hate to miss out on a good band, even if the evening unfolds differently than originally envisioned.