by Moheak Radio
Show Review: Crime & the City Solution @ the Fonda
9:22 am in Mo Herms, Show Review by Moheak Radio
For any kids in their post goth phases in the late ‘80s, Crime & the City Solution were practically hand delivered from the art movie houses to their college cafes. This group of Australians moved to London and then seedy Berlin to further their particular brand of post rock; dramatic poems that came across like the Doors as filtered through a reverb soaked Ennio Morricone score.
It’s has been over 20 years since the band has been in the US, and after recording a new album in Detroit (due in 2013), they set out on a very brief tour. Landing at the Fonda in LA, the venue was a bit too large for a band most Americans discovered through Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire or due to their associations with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. The fans there were thrilled, however, to hear some of their favorite pieces performed, including the opener, “The Bride Ship.” The hour long set included choice fan cuts like “I Have the Gun” and the first parts of “The Last Dictator.” The band was accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, designed live by a member on stage, to further provide depth to their stories, while the crowd swayed their heads dreamily. The new track, “My Love Takes Me There,” was well received, and rewarded with “Six Bells Chime” as a special treat for those familiar with their film work. A moody, dramatic night, punctuated by some laughs and a lot of beauty, it was a rare night many had waited decades for.
- Mo Herms for Moheak Radio
