Conjuring and vowing

Esben and the Witch, Tristian Urban

DasBACH Wien, Austria 20170925

Monday, long faces, tired eyes, but enough motivation to go for a laid back concert evening at of your favourite concert locations, DasBACH in Ottakring, Vienna.

Maybe because of their work or for what other reason ever, the people drop in slowly at the beginning, so the support act waits for half an hour longer to begin. But when the two guys start, already the tiredness of many eyes changes to interest. Because what was expected to be a simple acoustic show, is thrilling finger picking and percussion. The man doing hammer-ons, pull-offs and guitar harmonics is called Tristian Urban (also Wassermanns Fiebertraum). The other one is Peter, playing his djembe. The fast picking instrumentals with titles like “Dissonanzreduktion” after all explain themselves.

The effect of this music, making you relaxed, without tiring you again, is continued by the main act Esben and the Witch. They start off slowly and meditative. “Sylvan”, the opener of their latest record “Older Terrors” released through Season of Mist, is a great live opener too. It turns people into the right mood immediately. Especially the amazing voice of singer Rachel Davies is soft and concise at the same time. In the heavier parts, here words even get conjuring, vowing, the moves vigorous. While one in the audience can get shivers, Daniel Copeman gets dragged away by his own bass as he is so into the sound, and even if it is hard to see Thomas Fisher from the back, you can at least glance the big cymbals wafting.

Without seeing much, their Post Rock is a great pleasure to people’s ears. That they supported for example Solstafir might be a hint where they are heading. Because experiencing them, their sound, performance and effect, will make you come back again and again.