Anyone seen Merzbow live lately?

[Tommy Carlsson]

Just curious to hear if anyone has seen Merzbow perform live as of late, and if so what kind of equipment he is traveling with? He's going to play Stockholm on May 16th, and I wouldn't mind going as long as it's not a laptop thing.

[LocusSolus]

not lately really - Västerås 2004 I think. It was lap-top stuff. Allright, but I could live without it. I assume it will be something like that live-event.
It seems like he's stuck with his lap-top, atleast according to pictures.

(I do think that "24 hours: a day of seals" was quite good though, but it had a lot of looped guitars on it. And it was released around 2002 I think. Hideous artwork. Seals... Not that it stands up to his works of the eighties or recordings such as noisembryo from the 90:s)

[Tommy Carlsson]

Thanks. 

Just to slightly side-step the subject for a sec -- like many others, I was very much turned off by the post-Merzbox switch to all-digital equipment. I bought a fair number of the CDs that came out, but sold them all after a while. Some had decent bits on them, but overall I couldn't really see the point of listening to them when I could choose just about anything from the 80's up until c. 1999/2000 and enjoy it so much more.

People say that he's brought back the synths, pedals and other analogue tools for his new recordings, but apparently not for live situations then? I haven't bought any new Merzbow in ages -- for a number of reasons I'm simply not interested at all in what he does now, but I would probably go see a non-laptop live show if I got the chance. But if he prefers to travel light so to speak, I'll stay at home.

[bogskaggmannen]

According to concerts from 2008 he seems to use laptop and additional homemade gadgets, don't know what he's up to nowadays though but i'm sure it's a long way from the concerts at Fylkingen in 1996/1997 (?).

Here's one "performance" from Prague in 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR_56IUKgyU

[Steve]

I am surprised that you would stay at home if Merzbow came to town with a laptop and not with his pedals and gadgets. It is Merzbow! If Merzbow came to my town - and let's face it Merzbow is never coming to Torquay - I would go along even if he sat at a table, played an old CD and checked his E Mail whilst doing so....It'll be a night out. You are obviously too spoilt in Stockholm.

[P-K]

saw him in Brussels years ago and it was laptop, LOUD, and very good (good night with Merzbow, MAZK and Whitehouse)

you should go see him :-)

[Tommy Carlsson]

I am surprised that you would stay at home if Merzbow came to town with a laptop and not with his pedals and gadgets. It is Merzbow! If Merzbow came to my town - and let's face it Merzbow is never coming to Torquay - I would go along even if he sat at a table, played an old CD and checked his E Mail whilst doing so....It'll be a night out. You are obviously too spoilt in Stockholm.

Maybe we are, maybe it's just that most of the time I prefer to stay at home... last year I saw a total of six shows I think, and only four of them were in Stockholm. During any typical year I go to more football games than music gigs, they tend to be more exciting!

But yeah, maybe you're right. I do have that night off, so I think I might go see him + at least get my ears cleaned out a bit.

[Ritual]

I think I'll go too! I haven't seen him, so I figure a laptop show is better than nothing. Not overly expensive either...

[Strömkarlen]

I am surprised that you would stay at home if Merzbow came to town with a laptop and not with his pedals and gadgets. It is Merzbow! If Merzbow came to my town - and let's face it Merzbow is never coming to Torquay - I would go along even if he sat at a table, played an old CD and checked his E Mail whilst doing so....It'll be a night out. You are obviously too spoilt in Stockholm.

Maybe we are, maybe it's just that most of the time I prefer to stay at home... last year I saw a total of six shows I think, and only four of them were in Stockholm. During any typical year I go to more football games than music gigs, they tend to be more exciting!

But yeah, maybe you're right. I do have that night off, so I think I might go see him + at least get my ears cleaned out a bit.

You can always team up with Dror Feiler and discuss how the audience having ear plugs is ruining Merzbow's artistic vision.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I have seen him with 1 lap top, with 2 lap tops, and lately with laptop + analogue gear. This last set up is most definitely better. The effect of physical feedback/metaljunk devices is pure audio bliss. Masami won't engage in any more physical action than with computers, but it just sounds better and is visually little bit more interesting.
If Merzbow would play somewhere reasonably near (say southern finland), I would most definitely go to see it.

[Henrik III]

He's going to play Stockholm on May 16th

Anything else on the same occasion?

[Ritual]

He's going to play Stockholm on May 16th

Anything else on the same occasion?

Doesn't seem like there will be anything else.
http://www.sodrateatern.com/en/Program--Tickets/Events-container/Merzbow/

[THE RITA HN]

If his plan is anything like his last no fun fest set - definitely try to make it over there.  it was analog and laptop, but from where we were it looked like he was primarily using his laptop as a mixer.
I can't remember if it was during or after the set, but aaron dilloway and i looked at each other and agreed - "he can definitely still devastate everyone when he wants to."

[facialmess]

saw him a couple of weeks ago,
was using a mixture of laptop and analog gear, including his spring loaded "guitar" thing.
Sounded great, in that classic jet engine roar of 90s Merzbow kind of way.
He`s playing with Lasse Marhaug tomorrow night, so will try and make it down for that.

Also, interestingly, saw the first ever Pain Jerk lap top performance last Sunday (again with Marhaug), don`t think it`s a permanent switch, Kohei said he was just getting bored of his analog set up, and fancied a change.
Sounded fucking harsh though, and he rocked it like a mutha, standing on tables and shit, more animated than a usual Pain Jerk performance.

[Tommy Carlsson]

OK, I'm completely convinced I need to go to the show. Last I saw him was in 1996, so it's probably about time.