Godspeed You! Black Emperor

We arrived unusually early knowing that Shepherd's Bush Empire is not a great venue if you're stuck at the back for any band and definitely not great for a band with a majority of it's members sitting down. That meant we were in position to see the whole of the Xylouris White set which turned out to be an unexpectedly brilliant decision. George Xylouris, on Cretan Lute & vocals, comes from a renowned Greek musical family while Jim White was a founder member of The Dirty Three and has become a highly sought after drummer. It's a spellbinding performance. White in particular is amazing to watch and the interaction between he & George both hilarious and captivating.

At 9 o'clock the familiar thrum of the drone track kicked in. This acts as an acclimatisation mechanism preparing the audience for the arrival of Godspeed. The lights dim after about fifteen minutes and one by one the band take up their places. Sophie is the first to play something recognisably tuneful. Hope Drone seems to calibrate the band and has some great moments of noisiness.

A new song follows. This is a familiar GY!BE device which keeps the live shows fresh and allows them to really hone their song craft. I'm certain the last two albums have benefited enormously from being based on tunes the band are already familiar with. Mladic from Allelujah! Don't Bend is a fine example of this. I think they've been playing it since before the hiatus but it's taken on a new dramatic since being recorded and is one of my favourite GY!BE tunes.

Another new one follows. Starting with Sophie's violin again it's quite long, maybe 15 minutes worth, but has some interesting twists and turns. The pièce de résistance follows as the whole of the new album is played. Formerly know as Behemoth the album segments this into four more easily digested songs. This was the highlight of the last tour and takes on a new life thanks to the benefit of having now listened to the recorded version. Lambs Breath the least enthralling section, is fascinating to watch live with most of the band using either bows or screwdrivers on their instruments, it creates a tension between the more dynamic sections of the album. Piss Crowns Are Trebled features a magnificent swell of noise that brings this section to a magnificent conclusion.

The Sad Miafioso, from the debut album, brings the set to a suitably epic conclusion some two hours after it started. The band leave quietly one by one the sustain of guitars and the drone track continuing past the point where the lights are switched on to indicate the curfew has arrived. Timothy nips back on stage to turn off what's still humming but even then takes a while to completely cut the noise.

I first ''met'' with the phenomenon of Godspeed back in 2000, with the first listening of Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven-- at their best of times. It was apocalypse, it was epiphany, like first reading Kafka or Nietzsche, that these guys were not only thinking alike, but actually creating a new sound a new music, and was lucky enough to see them on that tour, for the first time.

I remember, I was in front of David Bryant's 20+ pedals as he sat looking only at his guitar, whilst Efrim was bending his strings to sharp with a metal string passed through his right hand. Fire on the screens, fire inside everyone as me, yet everyone was watching silent. It was in the eyes, not words- as if they seemed not necessary. No one out of that venue actually spoke when we left...

Since, I have seen them twice more, once in Manchester and once again in Athens. Same almost awkward feeling, meaning even with the sociological differences between a greek and an english audience, no less notes, no less bends- and no words through everyone's minds. Wish you catch 'em again, as I do. ''to quiet refusals, loud refusals- and s a d refusals'' Godspeed you! Manuel

It was good in general. This was my first live experience with this band after listening to them a lot on Spotify. They played tracks from the new album as well one or two unreleased tracks that sounded very promising. Towards the end they played one of my favorite track from one of their older albums.

One major issue I had with the event was sound amplification for the violinist Sophie. It appeared that there was a technical issue and they were trying to fix it minutes before the starting time but eventually decided to go on with the performance. I don't know if its Debaser Medis that should be responsible for these technical issues. In any case although Sophie did a great job but her sound was over shadowed by bass and so the over all performance did sounded dull and was noticeably annoying in the beginning. I had earplugs that helped in lowering base but still the violin sound was too muffled.

Despite the technical issues concerning sound I enjoyed the performance as they did an incredible job of playing all those artsy long tracks live. Wish they would come back to Sweden again and maybe select a better and bigger venue next time.

Most times when I see a live performance it's because I respect the band and support their creativity and passion.
That being said, Godspeed You Black Emperor! is not a band that I watch and hope for a great performance, I know they will perform and deliver. Nonetheless, GYBE! is the band I watch to be connected to something bigger than myself.
Hearing the album is great, but live.. is an experience. I already know they deliver an atmospheric sound that speaks volumes but every note is heard and better yet heart felt. Seriously if my inside feelings could be heard it would sound like the entirety of Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress (A.K.A. Behemoth). Every song hits hard and gives you pictures of hope and triumph or bleakness and despair.
I love Austin for how accepting and free spirited the city is but when GYBE! is in Austin it feels like the planets have aligned especially at Mohawk. The venue alone carries its own energy and I have to say the crowd is diverse and the best I've come across. As if the best of austin come to witness impactful music.
Looking forward to further releases and live performances .

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the Canadian post rock band originally from Quebec have been causing waves since their formation in the mid-90s. They have recently gained global attention due to receiving the 2013 Polaris Music prize. Suddenly the band has seen themselves performing on larger stages to more and more fans although they remained grounded and modest throughout.

Their mind-bending sound have been considered an influencer on the genre of post-rock despite having only been a band for less than 20 years. The dedication of their fan base is partly responsible and this has allowed them to travel globally with their live show. An expert blend of musical ability and visual display, Godspeed You! Black Emperor never overstate any part of their performance and there is a wonderful sense of quiet confidence.

The musical proficiency of 'Gathering Storm' is a fantastic demonstration of their skill and the cheers at its finale are deafening. By the finishing tones of 'World Police and Friendly Fire' the band has easily proved their place on the circuit and cemented their critical reputation.

This show was one I had been waiting for a very long time and it didn't disappoint. The sound was fantastic, the visuals were phenomenal and was one of the best shows I've seen in years. I've been attending concerts since 1977 and this is one I will treasure for a lifetime. It was the first time I attended a show in this venue, Warehouse Live and I was greatly impressed. The set list lasted over two hours of non-stop music, no talking or chatter but pure terrific ambient music. The only regret I had was that the band didn't come out for a second encore, but what else can you say after they played for over two straight hours, but wow! I will be looking forward to seeing them again, hopefully in the same small surroundings, but my guess is that they will be a major headliner during their next tour, so I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to see them in such an intimate setting, it was just magical.

This is a band at the height of their powers - this is the second time we've seen them and it was even better than the first.

Working through Luciferian Towers, with extra 'live only' reworkings, GSYBE delivered a tour de force performance with amps set to maximum and a video wall deepening the context of the music.

As usual, the band gently appear on stage at the beginning and leave singly at the end. There are no encores to a GSYBE gig. But, after the best part of 2 hours straight through, it's almost a relief to stumble back into the night and be reminded that, in fact, the bomb hasn't dropped and you're not at a fin-de-siecle spectacular.

Go and see them live. Just don't expect to see the world in the same way afterwards.

Wow, what can I say. What a band. This is the third time I've seen GYBE in a year & they never fail to disappoint. I've tried to explain the experience to my non music friends about GYBE but don't think they get it.
I was just saying to someone the other day that music needs a revolution to escape from all of the hype & safe acts on the go.
Anyway the highlights for me tonight were the 1st new composition they have been playing for the last year which is driven by Sophie on Violen & the rest of the band band bringing the song to crescendo.
Finishing off with 'East Hastings was brilliant. GYBE never sounded so god & thrilling.

An absolutely stunning performance; Powerful, evocative, energising, brilliant. The fact that this is the second time they have managed to produce such a performance in Ireland tahg I've seen is a testament to Godspeed's consummate talent and ability to sell an emotional idea and carry you through the motions of that idea through the song. They also played Blaise Bailey Finnegan III, which still, live, is just so impressive. A magnificent performance, and enjoyed by everyone I have talked to about it. 5 stars.

Serial soundscapes featuring crescendos, cacophony, turbulence, and storms. First piece was one hour and ten minutes long; they played four pieces altogether totaling two hours. The subtleties in the wall of sound could only be discerned in the high pitch of violin, the low rumble of two bass guitars, and occasional jittery cries from one of the three electric guitars. The band’s expression is utterly abstract and sensible only because they are steeped in their unique musical language. Surrender or go home.