By Jase Walker
It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the Grote Zaal for a show but no better reason to be here than for a band like MONO. Not only that but with an orchestral outfit backing them to boot. The Grote Zaal in this venue is a really magnificent room to behold and is architecturally gorgeous on the inside but I’m not here to marvel at geometric patterns, oh no, I’m here to experience one of the best post rock outfits to come out of Japan. They tour relatively infrequently so missing the chance to see this show wasn’t on the table in any form, especially not a special show like this.
Just as the clock hits 20:00, the orchestral members move onto the stage to set themselves up prior to MONO themselves appearing. The hall finally darkens and it’s time for the show to begin. The subtle building of the opening of ‘Us, Then’ brings in parts of the orchestra members bit by bit as layers are added that steadily flood the room in a blanket of sound. Even off to the side of the stage this sounds fantastic already and I’m somewhat distracted by peering over the shoulders of the trumpet, violinist and cellist. Well, that and the gigantic gong behind their drummer. MONO are so wonderfully effortless with their creation of atmosphere as if painting a gigantic dreamy watercolour on a canvas, abstract shapes and bursts of colour amongst a deep and serene background.
The addition of several live orchestral elements has truly elevated MONO’s live show; they’ve been fantastic before but the organic element of live strings and brass take this to a whole other level entirely. It’s notable how there’s no real flashy production here, the lighting is generally minimal and is more or less used to fill the stage with a single hue for each song. The focus here is very much the audible intricacies of MONO’s latest album, OATH. To be clear, this is not the sort of riffy post rock that you may expect from say.. Mogwai, this is true sonic exploration and ‘storytelling’ where some motifs may be revisited but MONO are taking me by the hand and leading me through this experience. Some unconventional playing techniques here and there, including playing the guitar with the thick end of a drum stick being used in a similar fashion to a violin bow.
Much like the album this show has played out as almost like one single long continuous song, the moments between them have been brief and fleeting for some applause and maybe switching guitars but other than that it’s a non-stop journey through OATH. The likes of ‘Hourglass’ and ‘Moonlight Drawing’ pass by so fast and I realise we’re already drawing in on the end of the set.
The end of the main set comes around before it even really feels like I’ve settled in despite over an hour having passed in the blink of an eye. Now sans orchestra members, we move into the encore with ‘Ashes In The Snow’, seemingly everyone barring the bass player gets a set for this. What an incredible way to finish things off as the smashing of the gong signals the return of the orchestra members to wrap this show up. Dedicating the last song of the show to their hero, Steve Albini, ‘Everlasting Light’ is the song of choice to tie off this fantastic set. It’s notable how their trumpet player has taken the role of conductor from a mildly awkward position.
This is another great entry in the many fantastic and unique shows I’ve seen this year from bands I love. You don’t get to see stuff like this very often so don’t sleep on them.
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