Ancienne Belgique

DOMINO: 65daysofstatic + MOUNT EERIE + TOMÀN + FUCK BUTTONS + THREE TRAPPED TIGERS It has now become something of a fine 'Sunday' tradition during Domino: a ‘mini-festival within ...

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DOMINO: 65daysofstatic + MOUNT EERIE + TOMÀN + FUCK BUTTONS + THREE TRAPPED TIGERS
 It has now become something of a fine 'Sunday' tradition during Domino: a ‘mini-festival within a festival’. So it is that we once again select a fine Sunday to present no less than 5 bands on one afternoon/evening.

9:15 pm - 65daysofstatic (UK)
“We’re playing the Domino festival in Brussels, which is AN HONOUR. We played there once supporting Liars and Mogwai, but now we’re headlining. Look how far we’ve come.” (to be read on www.65daysofstatic.com)
Cool! Though partly true/untrue… 65 DAYS OF STATIC, from Sheffield, did indeed appear in the AB in ’06, as part of Domino, with like-minded bands like Mogwai, Wolf Eyes, Akron/Family and Grails. But not with Liars (that was only in ’07, outside of Domino). But lets not let that spoil the fun. In April 2010, ‘65’ will headline the matinee of what is a mini-festival (5 acts) within the festival. By the way, their new, fourth album will be released in Spring 2010… and how does it sound, gents? “It’ll be a record of possibly epic proportions, although not as wilfully epic as the last one. It might, might just make you dance. If you’re a fairly imaginative dancer.”. So at least we know that too then. Their sound is, as ever, Mogwai-rivalling post-rock stargazing augmented by clicks and bleeps straight out of Squarepusher's laptop.' Even The Cure fell for them in ’08 and took them on tour through North America.

8:00 pm - Fuck Buttons

Fever Ray is – just like Manic Street Preachers – a fan. Witness to this: their songs they had re-mixed by Fuck Buttons. Further fans: Portishead, who had them appear at the curator festival All Tomorrow’s Parties. The connection to Portishead is not so surprising either, as Fuck Buttons also hail from Bristol. To top it off, the AB is also a fierce fan. Witness to this: AB was the first to offer them a stage in Belgium (‘in 08). Fuck Buttons are the alter-ego of Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power. Their sound: stunning noise. There where the noise of Prurient, Black Dice or Wolf Eyes goes a step too far for most people, Fuck Buttons present noise that appears melodious . Noise for the masses? Or better: ‘melodic noise met teen-appeal’, as we once read somewhere. Or as Humo wrote of their second album ‘Tarot Sport’, produced by Andrew ‘Sabres Of Paradise’ Weatherhall (which was also released via ATP/Recordings): “Ze hebben lak aan refreinen, strofes en zangpartijen, en teren op geloopte samples van goedkope keyboards en Gameboys, opgeblazen Vangelis-bombast en héél veel herhaling. En toch is dit bijna popmuziek.” ‘Almost pop music?’ What a fantastic description!

7:00 pm - Mount Eerie (US)
Mount Eerie is not only a mountain on Fidalgo Island (though then written Mount Erie) in the state of Washington, but also the alter-ego of Phil Elverum aka (his currently shelved alter-ego) The Microphones (whose final album from ’03 bore the title ‘Mount Eerie’ ). His latest album is the addictive ‘Wind’s Poem’, which is - in our opinion - one of the albums of 2009. Pitchfork gave it the generally unheard of score of 8.2 and described it as “the most compelling and fully realized Mount Eerie release to date”. An album – which he says is influenced by black-metal – that drifts between ambient-pop, extreme distortion, reverb and bathes in an atmosphere that reminds one of Twin Peaks. Elverum – who also runs his own label P.W. Elverum & Sun Ltd. – is also a photographer, by the way, and various of his photos also adorn his album covers. ‘Mount Eerie pts 6 & 7’ was even accompanied by a self-made photo book. Elverum is to be present at Domino 'with band'.

6:00 pm - Three Trapped Tigers

“One of the most exciting UK bands to emerge in ‘09.”  (BBC Music)
“Twinkles and booms like a star being born, this feels like being hugged by a computerized god. This'll make fans of Lightning Bolt, Battles and Aphex Twin cream themselves.” (NME)
This trio from London has already caused quite a stir with their explosive live-sets. Think musically of the perfect cross between Battles, Holy Fuck, Squarepusher and Aphex Twin. Take a listen to their EP’s, that form a perfect trilogy (both in music and design). You have ‘EP1’, ‘EP2’ and the soon to appear ‘EP3’ that will all be released via the DIY-label Blood & Biscuits, also from London. To close, a fine mathematical quote: “TTT = Dischord + Warp = a listener's dream come true” (Drowned In Sound).

5:00 pm - Tomàn (B)
Our favourite West-Flemings! On their first two albums they still hesitated between post-rock and fine ‘Duyster-music’ but they resolutely go their own way on their third and latest album ‘Where Wolves Wear Wolf Wear’. Focus Knack wrote of it: “Daring and adventurous piece of work that deserves a thunderous applause.” ‘Where Wolves Wear…’ was released on Belgium's Zeal Records – which in ’09 became especially well-known through discovery-of-the-year: Isbells. May we quote-surf a little further? On the basis of this album, Focus Knack managed to describe the ‘Tomàn sound’ with creepy precision: “The album meanders along filmic rock noir, jazzy chamber-pop and epic post-rock. It all starts off very sultry, in the style of TV On The Radio to then, via a repetitive intermezzo à la Mogwai, end up in a très groovy temporary final. The second part of the album then takes a detour past Pavement and Sonic Youth to then bear down on a cracking noise-climax...”. It has been noted. Our conclusion: especially live, Tomàn is still an entire experience!

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