Badasses and Soft Rockers – Novocaine For The Soul
Eels, That 1 Guy
2018 World Tour presented by PSI2, Arena Wien Open Air, Austria 20180717
How do you notice that summer has arrived? In Feldkirch, Vorarlberg because the poolbar Festival is on and in Vienna the Arena Open Air. Wolfmother, the Jolly Roger Festival and many other enjoyable events can be watched there. And this time it’s the place for another exceptional artist, or better two.
“That 1 guy is the name of the band.” That 1 guy with that one pick and a magic stick? No Magic Pipe is the name of the instrument Mike Silverman invented. Pipes and strings he plays with a pick, a bow or a drumstick, singing about a whale and the moon. Using effects and pretending punching his own face and even performing some card tricks. An incredible sound like psychedelic industrial, that you have to see. “Thank you friends.”
The varying sound and style and beard of That 1 guy makes him the perferct support for E and his Eels. It’s been some time since the last shows for example at the Tennis.Event.Center Hohenems or Southside Festival. And also since the nearly triple-release of “Hombre Lobo”, “End Times” and “Tomorrow Morning”. Two more records in-between, and now Mark Everett is back with his latest “Deconstruction”. The evening continues with a great mix of “Badasses” and “Soft Rockers”. Like “Dog Faced Boy” and “Magic World”, the one as angry as can be, the other making you cry because of its beauty. Between the songs, E earns laughs for example for his band introduction “starting with me”. Next to his bassist, he looks “shrinky”, because of his height. And the guitarist is “proud of his virginity… was.” “Let me jam on my new castanets on this one!” He also tells about a nervous breakdown, but that he’s not “damaged up here”, pointing on his head. Definitely not, because even if the Standard thinks his Power pop isn’t special, get your own impression, you won’t be disappointed, as an completely mixed audience shows.
Ah. And at a point E said that That 1 guy could jam with them when they’re distracted. So he jumped on stage during the feedback at Souljacker once more, nice gag too.