Swiss folk rockers Eluveitie kicked off their Australian tour in fashionable style in Perth Tuesday night as the small but wildly enthusiastic crowd partied with the band in what turned out to be one of the funnest gigs of the year so far and also a unique experience for various reasons. This would ultimately turn out to be the one of the final shows with the current lineup due to the recent announcement that Merlin, Ivo and Anna would be leaving the band.
Local battle heroes Wrath of Fenrir provided entertainment as the main support act for the night and their theatrics combined with a groove oriented fist pumping style of music wouldn’t be too far removed from an Amon Amarth viking show. Early punters got into the swing of things as the party vibe kicked off early before the Swiss entourage hit the stage.
The cast of 8 musicians including frontman and founding member Chrigel Glanzmann featured an array of traditional Celtic instruments and sounds, it was a lot to take in as each individual provided their own input into a sound that can be described as big, bold and varied. What makes this show and this tour special is that it would be some of the final shows ever with the current lineup, 3 of it’s core members leaving the band as announced just recently. Coupled with that fact that this is a very different metal/rock show and what you have is something pretty special indeed.
Eluveitie played a selection of tracks from it’s last album “Origins” as well as a mix of old material and even a cool acoustic set mid-way through the show which bounced off songs from their acoustic album “Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion”. Singer Anna Murphy provided a contrasting balance to Chris’s more metal growly vocal style while playing the Hurdy Gurdy, an instrument that was pretty prevalent in the band’s live sound. Violins, pipes, flutes and a mandola were among the many different instruments used at the show and really showed how experimental the band appear to be but at the same time, working effectively without being pretentious or overly done in any way.
Sonically it sounded clear as day, the violin in particular had an overpowering sound that really drove the music along and got the crowd into the swing of things. Together with the incredible drum sound, the beats provided a very dancey mood that continued the party along. The guitars sounded a little low in the mix for our taste but ultimately it was of little significance as it all came together well in the end. For those looking for a very different metal show and that also steers clear of the usual folk metal bands that have been popularised over the years, be sure to catch Eluveitie on this tour, especially considering this will be the last time you will see this lineup together!
Catch Eluveitie on the rest of the tour in Australia:
Perth – Tuesday 17 May – The Capitol
Brisbane – Thurs 19 May – The Zoo
Sydney – Fri 20 May – Manning Bar
Melbourne – Sat 21 May – Max Watts (Hi/Fi)
Adelaide – Sun 22 May – The Gov
Tickets through Tombowler Entertainment
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Tammie Molotov – Molotov Enterprises And Photography
