So it’s my 3rd time in Berlin and first time at this great festival! Knowing this label since the 90’s it was about time I would get a taste of their own festival and check out some artists I haven’t seen yet on stage! We’re kicking off on Thursday with a lineup that brings moody elegance, raw electronics and powerful female-driven energy to the forefront. From underground icons to modern trailblazers, this night is all about atmosphere, intensity and pushing sonic boundaries.
First impressions about the location: is this it? Looks like punks or anarchists squatting a site, but hey this is just the idea behind the whole site. The punk and alternative ideas rule here.
CORLYX: Led by the enigmatic Caitlin Stokes, Corlyx mixes industrial noise, dark pop and post-punk vibes paired with a strong visual aesthetic and bold sonic presence. Pulling from 80’s Post-Punk, 90’s Grunge, and Dark Wave, Corlyx craft their version of so-called Death Pop. This was one of the must see bands for me (i ahd a nice interview with them and loved so far every single track and reviewed them already a lot in the past), time now for their live set!
They start with White Wolf: on fire, spot on, heating up the crowd. Caitlin takes off her jacket and unveils her white dress, fitting the previous song. It’s clear she’s in the right mood and knows how to pleasure a crowd. She moves in a sensual way, has a great voice and two guitar players who do their job to perfection and further heat up the place. I see people dancing, clapping their hands … We all enjoy it! In the background we see nice clips, adding a cool extra to the show. The set list is well chosen with songs like. ‘Better in Laces’, ‘Wasted and Alone’, ‘Find The Killer’, ‘Ghost of The Westcoast’ (for sure a highlight in the set), … Closing with ‘The Echo’. I can see Caitling wiping off some tears, completely moved by the audience and the warm welcome here. I can feel the band enjoyed bringing their music and they gave it all until the very last note! I’m very happy I finally saw them and can only say: this is the first and for sure not the last time! A must see!
The meet and greet afterwards was also worth it as the band took their time without any pressure and open to all questions, clearly enjoying it!
Read the Interview here: SNOOZECONTROL - Corlyx: shout out to The Horrors and The Cure and yes Corlyx is DIY!
YEARS OF DENIAL: Utilizing hardware and a plethora of dub devices combined with Barkosina’s unmistakable vocals, the pair revisit the dark corners of post-punk, goth, new beat, EBM, industrial, and rave culture. Their live shows inject rhythmic beats and pulsating arpeggios with heavy electronics fused with a spacey psychedelic sonic treatment. The duo operates on the dance floor with a powerful performative representation creating an excursive, unforgettable experience.There was not much light at this show, so I was happy I stayed in the front and enjoyed the show (who was also very visual). I know from the past that the throwing away of the flowers is a highlight for the fans, hence the pictures on Facebook with happy and proud fans. I see another band who is well trained in pleasuring the crowd and heating up the place. I don’t know this band so well, but I read a lot of good stuff about it and am happy to confirm it’s indeed a must see. It was a great first timer with me with really good music and am gonna play some of their stuff after this festival!
MOTOR!K: A cosmic blend of krautrock and motoric rhythms, Motor!k are instrumental masters of building hypnotic, slow-burning sound journeys. The band around Dirk Ivens is perfect for fans of atmospheric trips and sonic storytelling.
It’s a bit strange to see them play on this day as there is no singer and for sure no women on stage (hence it’s the most female fronted day of the festival). At least I see fans enjoying it. It’s not my thing and people who follow me know this. Well I stayed until the end, so that’s a good thing.
MARIE DAVIDSON: Montreal’s Marie Davidson blends spoken word, techno, and coldwave into an unforgettable live experience. Known for her razor-sharp wit and hypnotic rhythms, she’ll take you on a journey through self-reflection and full-body movement.
She mixes electro with industrial vibes and works hard to keep the crowd dancing. Jumping from being an industrial minded DJ to a singer and firing up the fans. She was completely unknown to me but I enjoyed it.
LINEA ASPERA: A cult favourite in the minimal wave and darkwave scenes, Linea Aspera (Alison Lewis & Ryan Ambridge) deliver icy synths, deep basslines and haunting vocals. Their music is equal parts introspective and danceable, making them a standout, must-see live act.
Linea Aspera is another band I also wanted to see as A lost of people told me it’s a must see band and you know what? They are right! This duo indeed makes it worth! The sound is perfect, they bring the perfect set list and Alison is a real nightingale! She dances, sings, makes us all happy but also brings a good message: bring the energy we create hear to work on piece and stop the starving of kids (people), stop the wars … In the early process of the gig she was a bit shy, but with this last message opened her heart. I adore the nice haunting, inviting to dance or feel simply the emotions behind the lyrics! This was worth staying until the end of the set! Happy to confirm all the great things about this one!
THE KVB: Blending reverb-soaked production with minimalist electronics, the KVB’s ever-evolving cold wave always reflects their mastery of atmosphere. The UK duo has continuously evolved their sound - from the raw energy of their early releases to the cinematic, danceable depths of their latest album.
The KVB closes the first day of this nice festival. They build up slowly and are clearly happy to perform here. Once again I heard a lot of nice things about this duo and once again (hence it starts to be a mantra) I can confirm all the good things. It’s a bit sad people start to go away but I understand it’s already pretty late and I can see some people who are sitting next to the wall falling asleep and thus missing parts of this great set! Their most recent album is worth it, so stay here and enjoy!
This was the first night, 2 more to go, so I also didn’t stay until the last note but enjoyed it and want to thank the organisation for the good work! I mad a lot of discoveries, had a lot of first timers and will get home with a longer playlist and even more stuff on my wish list! So: thank you Out of Line!
