Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival

06.12.2003, Moscow, "Art-Center", reportage by moonwalker [Vice editor-in-chief, representative in Russia]

Reportage (in russian)
Photogallery

This festival (so far the biggest electronic music event in Moscow), took place in Moscow, in the cold snowy day of december, the 6th of Dec. The scale of event defines bands selection: electro / ebm stars APOPTYGMA BERZERK (Norway), young synth-pop stars MELOTRON, and russian supporting acts - TECHNOLOGIA, ARRIVAL, BLEEDING NATURE. Surely, this event must have attracted public attention. Ant it did!

So, some time after the festival had started, we entered the venue, which was completely new for me - "Art-Center on Pluschiha". The venue turned out to be quite nice place - small hall at entrance, bar and a large hall on the second floor. The concert hall wasn't very big, but rather comfortable - everything seemed to be seen quite well from everywhere in the hall. The drawback - the bars` assortment was very poor, snacks there weren't at all. This drawback was compensated with large number of bars.

After essential pause, which was because of APOPTYGMA BERZERK soundcheck, on the stage appeared russian future pop project - BLEEDING NATURE. They've changed a bit their music since I saw them last time (on LACRIMOSA party, where they played synth-goth with russian lyrics and performed LACRIMOSA covers), and the material was completely new. But because of very poor sound (didn't have time to tune it?) it's hard to fairly evaluate the performance. Almost no words were heard (except for last two songs, on which it seemed for me that it's not a volcalist, from whom sound is coming). The old songs and LACRIMOSA covers I liked more...

Rather unexpected after BLEEDING NATURE on the stage appeared TECHNOLOGIA. Once heroes of (at that time - Soviet Union) pop-music, they started from something like a new song (or it was old? don't know), after which came their old hits. Roman Ryabtsev sang not bad, but the second vocalist smiled rather pretty, but tried to open his mouth not in time - one time I almost drop my photoapparat, when he suddenly joined in a chorus with a roar like from an injured bear! One day before, on press-conference, Roman Ryabtsev (singer and one of leaders of the band) said, that lately on a concert of 80ies` ghosts they were the only who didn't smell naphthalene. Here I want to sincerely congratulate them. It's really so. They don't (smell). Modern mixes on old songs, with simple (though rather naive) lyrics, sounded not bad. However, imho, TECHNOLOGIA can now catch only their old fans. Now the band is capable only to produce nostalgia. But what a nostalia! I saw tears in the eyes, many knew all the lyrics by heart, recalled their youth, first love etc etc...

And now, TECHNOLOGIA, having played their the most well-known hits, were deeply touched by the audience response and they were almost ready to embrace their fans! As a result, great for those who're tortured by a nostalgia for 80ies. I'm not.

Leaving the stage, TECHNOLOGIA announced their "foreign friends", instead of another russian band, ARRIVAL. And so it was. On the stage appeared shields with MELOTRON symbols. And soon came MELOTRON. The german synth-pop band is very popular in Russia, not only because of last-year concert. Their discs are published in Russia by "Soyuz", hence, many people can by ir (since it more than twice cheaper than original CDs). Singer, Andy Kruger, appeared in a jacket and striped trousers, and looked rather funny. So was and the performance itself. As far as I understand, the main thing in MELOTRON performance - to diversify show with jokes, communcation with audience (may be too much of it) etc. Seems like MELOTRON came in Moscow not only to work and perform, but also to drink in a good company. By the way, the day before, on press-conference, Andy said "First, we want to thank organizers for a great reception, because we will propably not have time tomorrow - after the show we'll be drinking Vodka". According to witnesses, he not only kept his his promises, but also found time to thank the organizers once more.

It turned out, that on the stage (and not only on the stage) MELOTRON were very pleasant persons. And it was a pity that I don't like their music - after 10-15 minutes I'm getting into sleep, no matter how they behave on the stage. And I a bit envied people, who stayed all the concert before the stage. As a result, I, standing in a lobby, was confused with a number of times, MELOTRON was encored!

After a little break, on the stage rather suddenly came the headliners - legendary APOPTYGMA BERZERK, consisting of four people (a bit strange for future-pop band, isn't it?). Vocal, guitars, drums, synthesizers... Amazing, clear and powerful sound, mixes, quite different from studio records. And eternal hits like "Love Never Dies", "Non-stop Violence", "Bitch", "Mourn", "Deep Red", "Eclipse" - I simply have no words to describe this! Even listening once more to live records, such as "APBL2000", one can realize, that it the sound differs dramatically from real concert! At the same time, they didn't come down to the audience very much, keeping distance and staying in their image. For APOPTYGMA BERZERK fans, it's not a secret, that their music dramatically changed since the album "7". But now Stephan Groth and Co began with old hits, and it was especially pleasant for the most of audience. As Stephan said in an interview the day before, he's going to do music, less dancefloor-oriented, and will do all his best to make it difficult for journalist to classify the music style.

It is interesting, that together with APOPTYGMA BERZERK came in Moscow sessional musicians, who's playing (or played) in different metal bands (guitarist - in THE KOVENANT, keyboard player, from rumors, played in SATIRICON). But here's nothing surprising, after all (according to Stephan), metal scene is the biggest in the Norway underground, and he grew up with metalists, many of his friends - metelists etc. And Stephan himself made some covers on METALLICA. On the press-conference on the question, concerning these covers, he said "... bands like METALLICA, THE CURE, KRAFTWERK stand besides any subculture and influenced all the modern music". And it's hard to disagree with him in this.

It's a pity that on the concert were not so many people. Some of them got drunk from alcohol in the break after MELOTRON. Others, having stayed long time before the stage, went away to discuss their impressions. Whatever one may say, the audience still not ready to the events of such scale.

Back to the performance. Perfect sound, energy and charisma produced strange impression on some visitors. Like say witnesses, on the stage two times (!) was thrown glass with beer. So, it can't be helped, our audience sometimes rather boorish. It's so... Musucians endured, and gave wonderful concert at full power! As a result - brilliant performance, sadden by rough fans.

For ARRIVAL, who followed after APOPTYGMA BERZERK, it was very difficult task to excite the audience. Most of people simply left the concert hall, and ARRIVAL itself was rather boring. I'm not acquainted with their music material, and what I saw was just a bald-headed guy, who posed on the stage. I couldn't evaluate the performance, mainly because of "Non-stop violence" and others APOPTYGMA BERZERK hits, which were still spinning in my head.

The afterparty was rather good - popular DJs, interesting music, but, of course, could not be compared with the main performance.

So, what we have. There're no doubts that the first electronic festival Moscow Synthetic Snow Festival succeeded (at least, from the point of view of visitors, for organizers - don't know... may be not so large audience). The organization was almost perfect, regardless of some small issues. And APOPTYGMA BERZERK show, for sure, entered my personal top of concerts in Moscow. Here I want to thank all the performed bands and organizers (Russian Synth-Pop Community and RGP) and wish them every success.

Text and photos by moonwalker [Vice editor-in-chief, representative in Russia]. All photos are available in a higher resolution by request.

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