JINJER
Heaven, London
MOTHER’S CAKE
Camden Unicorn
End of the working week could not have come early enough last week. Friday was promising to go up with a mighty bang. Unfortunately afternoon terrorist attack threatened to spoil things. As the situation unfolded in front of our eyes and reports on radio bringing more details London was yet again caught in a moment. For a moment though. This city and its people will never succumb to threat and violence and united we will stand. And the evidence of it came up in a light of a London show of a mighty JINJER. Ukrainian prog-metal stars were visiting London as a part of the European Tour in support of their latest album release MACRO.
Venue choice was unusual as Heaven is one of the most famous nightclubs in the UK capital. But as soon as the giant countdown clock at the top of the stage came to a zero and the opening salvo of TEACHER TEACHER cracked the vaulted underground space, JINJER’s dark queen came out and it all made sense.
My God what an entrance. Tatiana, vocalist and frontwoman, and a band’s symbol commanded the operations with ease, spitting growling screams at the crowd who did not dare breathe, eyeing the black goddess afraid to lose a sight of her as if the magic will vanish in an instance.
Stage was well high and the smallest of us could get a glimpse of what must go as the one of the best live shows this year. Moving thru the old material and dipping into new album, JINJER firmly established themselves as one of the greats of metal core genre. Not even stopping for a break, our Donetsk comrades swiftly fired a riffage and the crowd was only pleased to indulge.
I knew I will had to leave before they finish, and my gut was turning. I was also incredibly proud and happy to bare a witness to a band stepping up to claim their rightful place among the heavy metal gods. JINJER came, owned the place, owned the moment. And united we stood.
Mumbling half to myself and half directed to my best buddy I was replaying the film of the last hour in my head as we hurried towards Camden where another great albeit one in making was about to start their show.
Two years ago a watched them at a showcase festival in Slovenia completely ravage the stage and venue, expression on people’s faces telling it all. Earlier this year they played an absolute blinder at the Desertfest London and I knew MOTHERS CAKE are here to stay. Make that come back again.
Space cowboys from Tyrolian mountains daub in psyche rock and funk, and if you like RHCP and Lenny Krawitz you will like them. But here’s a thing. They are so much more than just a good band. MOTHERS CAKE are an institution, therapeutic centre, oasis of good and alive in a desert, mothers cake indeed.
Crowd was ready too. And up for it. Before you know it Camden Unicorn was shaking with good vibrations, the tribe in front the stage manically jumping up and down, bodies and limbs crossed in unison, shiny faces light up with glorious power.
As if the band knew, they felt it too. I bet they felt it also when they recorded Live in Bergisel high up in the Alps, freezing their cockles and yet producing a damn fine album. What will an artist do to appease a common man ? Are there any ceilings and borders guarding us ?
No my friends, and that is the beauty of art. Beauty of an artist and creator, and we should consider ourselves lucky to walk this Earth with some incredible bands and musicians. Celebrate them and share them with your friends. Life is too short.