Long awaited date arrived, and while we were entering the crowded hall of the Student Cultural Center i couldn't help but wonder how Laibach, not anymore an uncommon show in Belgrade, always rises much attention from large number of different people.
Many arty farty celebrities bothered us for days how they like and love Laibach and how it was the most influential band in their lifetime. It is worth explaining that for many years until the breaking of the former Yugoslavia, Laibach was domestic band in Serbia, so they aren't viewed here as some underground attraction in well ironed uniforms, but as the only thing from the old country that did catch global attention and doesn't have to do anything with civil wars and slaughtering your neighbors.
They grew out of their audience torture phase into a more defined and common form of band (no drill press, no milling machines). But although they replaced their old style with a new, more user friendly one, questions they arise didn't suffer from it.
I will not go into their philosophy, appearance or other dubious subjects, as those had been objects of long lasting discussions. I will assume that you've already read, heard and saw it all.
One thing that comes naturally with going to Laibach's concert in Belgrade is that you will be crammed in more than full hall with very small amount of space for dancing (you will have to satisfy yourself with moving your eyebrows with the beat) or anything else other than standing in some of the more obscure yoga positions. Crowd was, as usual, full of young teutonic knights in leather and grumby coats, Hitler jugend haircuts and many gothic mistresses of darkness which spent past few days applying the makeup to their faces were there as well. Several heavy metards and even a few nazis, but except for a single “Suck cock you Slovenian cunts” during the movie, everything was in order and no shit stirring happened. I can't believe one would pay substantial amount of money for a ticket, just to curse at the band, but we Serbs are difficult type of people. This said, most of the audience were normal ordinary people you see on the streets every day.
After the movie, band came on stage, screams and moving hands in the air welcoming them. There is always some moron who elbows his way to the front to nazi-salute to the stage just because the band is singing in german (Alle gegen alle), which is rather pathetic.
At some point several of us with press accreditations were allowed to enter the front row, which was motion liberating. Security advised me to stop dancing and ass-shaking while being there, which was a hard thing to do especially because the band played their dancefloor top of the pops hits “Tanz mit Laibach” and “Now you will pay”. I could easily see these playing in some disco club with pink lights, disco ball, furry chairs and deranged bdsm audience with attached fluorescent dildos, stomping ABBA and Boney M LPs under high platform shoes. It even came to my mind to be a total sleaze ball and start passing onto the girls who were giving their best effort playing those drums and clapping hands at the time while attaining the valkyrie attitude, but i guessed that that would bring me much misery with my girlfriend who was in the back.
Later, the frontline left the stage, leaving rest of the band to show their skills during ultra loud version of "Wirtshaft...". Laibach's keyboardist rules. He looks like a nerd and plays like a demon. Best satanic-sacred-HD-whatever techno i had in years. Too bad i was back in the sardine can again because shooting was over.
At the end, when the lights came out we were left with the static scream...well not static scream, but Umek's remix of the “Tanz mit Laibach” and that was the sign to start fighting to get our jackets from the wardrobe.
The whole experience was great, i liked it as i always like it, and beside the fact that i could expect when will each song be played because this concert was very similar to the one two years ago, Laibach remain as artists that bring me joy every time they play.
I don't want to rationalize the concert just to be able to rate it in some way, the only rate is subjective one and seeing all the eyes shining and smiles across faces in the crowd i think this one was a success.
*added by WMK. Maybe the play list was simmilar to their 2004. show but we have the chance to hear live version of "Mama Leone" and experience its emotional impact on audience and most of the songs had new, more electronic, additions (new version of "Du Bist Unser" was great and i just cant wait for "Anthems Tour" be be released on DVD).
ElektroBankMusik wishes to thank Laibach, Maria and all people from Long Play for a great night.
