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Damien Rice's modesty and emotions

Positivus 2012
Salacgrīva, Latvia
June 21st 

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

The fact that Damien Rice’s performance has been long awaited is shown by the tightly compressed crowd shortly before his show as there seems to be no free place left and for sure, no chance to take the front row. No wonder, his concerts in America and Europe have been sold out. The Irish folk-musician who is not giving live performances that often is thus exceptionally welcomed on Positivus stage with his first ever concert in Latvia.  

No posh introductions and backgrounds, no luxury, it’s just Damien Rice with his guitar arriving on a stage in his humbleness and starting on with the first song The Professor. It’s followed by Delicate, Volcano, Elephant, Cannonball, Fool almost without any breaks between the songs except for Damien’s thankful smile from time to time. One song ends and the next one starts as if telling a story where each song would be a chapter that naturally leads to some continuation. 

For a moment, it feels this could happen anywhere; be it a large, crowded festival or an intimate evening among friends. The setting doesn’t matter as long as it’s Damien Rice who is unique, genuine and authentic making the atmosphere so special. He hardly speaks a word on a stage leaving an impression that he has the secondary role while his songs live their separate distinct life. It’s just like he has said in one of the interviews comparing his as creator’s role to the situation of parents when they have children. He is transmitting his music to others. His music that cries, laughs, screams, yells, feels. That all performed and felt by Damien Rice with his emotions for loneliness, sorrow, anger, love. 

Song by song we get to hear Cold Water, Hallelujah, I remember, Woman Like A Man and then it’s time to ‘close the curtains’ with The Blower’s Daughter. The last song is perceived with exaltation and cheering from the audience. The evening is over. Everyone is clapping hands and smiling including Damien Rice himself as if thanking to his own creativity and his songs that have made the evening unforgettable and immensely emotional.

Manic Street Preachers happy to be back

Positivus 2012

Salacgrīva, Latvia

June 21st 

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

It was four years back when Manic Street Preachers played on Positivus stage for their first time. Now the famous Welsh rock band can recall the venue very well and though their role is similar – the last headliners on the main stage on the second day of the festival – this time the crowd is much bigger, and agreeing with bassist Nicholas Allen Jones ‘it [the show] is gonna be better’.

It starts on this beautifully decorated stage with glittering pink cherry trees like at Japanese cherry blossom season and a picture of a blond girl with a crown on her head gazing at the audience from the back of the stage when the band suddenly appears, and the lead guitarist James Dean Bradfield vigorously announces the first song. It is Motorcycle Emptiness from Manics first album Generation Terrorists that immediately moves the audience followed by Your Love Alone Is Not Enough and Ocean Spray altogether ensuring a very powerful beginning. ‘It was easy to come back,’ confirms the lead singer.

The band continues with (It’s not War) Just the End of Love and The Everlasting where everyone joins in the catchy and nostalgic part In the beginning/ When we were winning, and the band goes on with Everything Must Go and Found That Soul. Then James Bradfield announces an old song written in 70s, and it is Suicide Is Painless. After that we hear You Stole The Sun From My Heart and Revol from The Holy Bible remembering and honouring Richey Edwards for the remarkable lyrics he has left behind. You Love Us comes next followed by The Masses Against The Classes, another socially meaningful piece.

Towards the end of the show we hear A Design For Life and Tsunami, and after exclusive introductions of every band member the very last song is announced. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next is performed by Manics and accompanied by everyone else in the crowd singing along. What an emotionally uplifting ending with youngs and olds coming together and Manics genuinely enjoying themselves having played another great show at Positivus!

Friendly Fires’ dance show

Positivus festival 2012

Salacgrīva, Latvia

June 20th 

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

They want to be remembered by their performance. They want to show their energy. They want to create this crazy indie rock and dance party. Confident, energetic, bright they come on Positivus main stage as one of the main headliners on June 20th and impress yet another crowd with their expressive performance in their busy festival and gig schedule. Friendly Fires know how to do it. 

They want the audience to actually see something once they have come to the gig, the lead singer Ed Macfarlane admits in the press conference shortly before their show. Playing live is their thing, you get to know it once experiencing their show. And perhaps you would not feel in their records the charm they have when playing live with absolutely brilliant Ed Macfarlane who impresses most. His dances and moves are vigorous, genuine and engaging. They fit in with the music and show the way they feel about it. 

They are fast thinking and doing as they rush through their playlist starting with Lovesick, then Jump in the Pool followed by Blue Cassette, On Board, Skeleton Boy, Live Those Days Tonight. There are slower songs in between that make them rest but not for long – the next fast song comes again and Friendly Fires just like fire are not supposed to burn out during their own party. Paris is perhaps the first single they have been recognized by, and they take us there towards the end of the show. It’s followed by breathing together Hawaiian Air and finally – the band gives us the Kiss of Life. The set list is well prepared and carried out unitedly.

One is clear, when the show is over, they have given their 100% though not maybe impressed the audience with being orally talkative and saying how much they like being here. No, they are not that kind of band. And they don’t need to be. They communicate through their music, and Ed’s moves are contagious to certainly make others dance and enjoy. It’s a great show after all that ends with wet shirts and happy faces.

Me and Ed Macfarlane from Friendly Fires.

The Vaccines' Party in the Mud

Positivus 2012

Salacgrīva, Latvia

June 21st

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

Perhaps last year nobody would have expected to see English indie rockers The Vaccines on the main stage. But What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? has been released just last year. And if you didn’t expect, it has reached number 4 in the UK Album Chart. If you didn’t expect, they have toured around extensively ‘vaccinating’ masses with their music. This summer unexpectedly or expectedly the currently hottest new British rock band performed at Positivus.

They come on a stage with No Hope, and without any special invitation their greatest fans are already dancing and enjoying as that is what The Vaccines energetic music is supposed to do with you. The show goes on with Wrecking Bar (Ra, Ra, Ra), and then the band stops for a moment to say ‘hello’ in Latvian (‘sveiki’). That is always very appreciated by the audience and proves that they don’t just change the airports without having a clue where they have arrived as might be expected from such a hectic touring The Vaccines have.

Tiger Blood is announced to be the next song followed by A Lack Of Understanding, Wetsuit, Post Break-up Sex, All In White, Wolf Pack. They are also very proud to show the new compositions, and we get to hear Teenage Icon and Ghost Town. For the end of the show the indie rockers have saved such songs as Blow It Up and If You Wanna which is their first and definitely the greatest hit earning extra clapping and dancing from the audience. We hear one more new song which is Bad Mood before the very last one – Norgaard which seems like a good way to end this party in the mud.

The Vaccines leave the stage but not so soon the Baltics. They will be heard in Estonia and Lithuania in the end of July supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers on their tour.

Positivus festival 2012

Salacgrīva, Latvia 

July 20 – 21
Reviewed: Lucy Rose, Housse de Racket, Niki & The Dove, Ewert and The Two Dragons, Fanfarlo, Brodka

Magical festival (Tom Chaplin from Keane), as in a fairy-tale forest (Ed Macfarlane from Friendly Fires) with its distinct aura not turning into one big festival (Lucy Rose). Musicians who played at the sixth Positivus festival in Salacgrīva, Latvia on July 20 and 21 have praised its unique ambience in different words. Keane, Damien Rice, The Vaccines, Manic Street Preachers and many more international and Baltic acts were enjoyed by 25 000 music fans from many countries. Concertsnews.be reviewed some of the gigs.

Lucy Rose (UK)

She might look like a very young and fragile girl but actually this English singer/songwriter Lucy Rose is very confident and persistent about what she is doing. ‘Control freak’ as she called herself in a press conference. She will make sure she is involved in every single part in regards to her music. Lucy Rose has received a lot of promising words from music critics, and after seeing her performance at Positivus festival you will agree it’s totally deserved. As the talented musician comes on a stage, she starts with one of her best known songs Middle of the Bed immediately making a connection with the audience.  She admits this is one of the greatest crowds the band has ever experienced and cannot resist her lovely smile between the songs looking charmingly timid. Lucy Rose breaks hearts of many as she goes on with her beautiful and delicate music and plays other songs such as Lines and Bikes from her upcoming debut album Like I Used To ready for a release in September.

Housse de Racket (FRA)

The French indie electro-rock masters have played over 200 live shows from small stages as SXSW music conference in Texas to big stages as Modern Sky Festival in Beijing, and now they have come to play at Positivus festival. They seem to prefer the second option as it’s harder for them to play in a very small place, they admit in a press conference. It could be true after hearing their lively music that obviously needs space. The French duo, that is very proud to sing in their mother tongue thus sounding unique and different, come on Positivus stage to start with the rather instrumental Alesia, the title song of their second album. They go on with the melodic and catchy Chateau. ‘Ladies, can we hear you screaming? Gentlemen, and now you?’ they have found a very appropriate way how to present the next song Les Hommes Et Les Femmes. We also get to hear the energetic Synthetiseur and catchy Oh Yeah. They give a great show with a true happiness to be here and are a perfect start to open Positivus main stage. 

Niki & The Dove (SWE)

Malin Dahlstrom, Gustav Karlof and Magnus Boqvist or Niki & The Dove gave one of the most impressive performances at Positivus. The Swedish electropop trio comes on a stage, and the first thing to notice is Malin’s colorful and bright outfit next to Gustav’s combination of black & white. They start with Mother Protect from their debut album Instinct immediately followed by their greatest and probably most awaited hit Dj, Ease My Mind. That strongly excites the audience, and having felt that, the band doesn’t hide being overwhelmed and expressing their happiness to play at Positivus. ‘You give us so much love,’ they say and dedicate the next song Tomorrow to the ‘loveable and amazing crowd’. After that Malin offers to climb a hill together in the song The Fox, and then it’s time for the last song - The Drummer when we hear for the last time Malin’s magnificent voice, Magnus’s gifted drum play and Gustav’s hypnotic mastery of keyboards accompanied with some well-studied Latvian words. Niki & The Dove leave the stage with Gustav’s ‘goodbye’ in Latvian (čau, čau) and seem very glad to have played at Positivus.

Ewert and The Two Dragons (EST)

It took them two years to play on the main stage at Positivus. As they remember themselves, it has been an interesting journey. Estonian indie-rockers started playing at Positivus on a small stage in 2010 followed by a bit larger one the following year and finally in 2012 they are deservedly gathering a great crowd at the main stage. Crowd that is up for them already from the band’s first accords as they start with the well known hit (In The End) There’s Only Love from their second album Good Man Down. Titled as currently the best internationally known band from the Baltics, Estonian dragons have played gigs and been noticed in America and now earned a very long and still ongoing tour all around Europe. ‘You are all responsible for that’, the lead singer Ewert Sundja is thankful to their faithful audience at Positivus. As their concert continues, they also play such well known singles as Jolene and Good Man Down; the latter has reached number 1 on Latvian iTunes right after the festival. 

Fanfarlo (UK)

Known for their eclectic musical compositions using trumpet, mandolin, violin, musical saw and other instruments London’s Fanfarlo was expected to play at Positivus already last year. Having apologized for not being able to do that, they are here this year and give a double joy with their beautiful music and friendliness towards the audience. Moreover, as they come on the stage they have stopped the rain, and white clouds start arising for them to appreciate their wonderful music with Amos Memon’s extraordinary voice. They perform songs from both albums (Reservoir and Rooms Filled With Light), thus we get to hear Lenslife, Comets, Finish Line, The Walls Are Coming Down and others. Very emphatic and inspirational performance! ‘We will come back as soon as possible’, the vocalist promises and their fans feel good about it. 

Brodka (PL)

Polish singer Monika Brodka with her band comes on a stage as colorful as her music which combines modern electro and alternative pop with folk elements. She has been noticed internationally, and British The Guardian has compared her to Polish Kate Bush. With her new songs recorded in Los Angeles she is ready to conquer the world. She sings mostly in Polish but there are also some English songs on her set list like Varsovie and Dancing Shoes which are catchy and full of energy - that’s what you need on a fine Saturday afternoon.

With guys from ''Housse de Racket"

SBTRKT and Their Hurricane

Positivus 2012

Salacgrīva, Latvia

July 21st

SBTRKT or ‘subtract’ is known as a DJ under his colorful Indian mask. A person who wants to deliver his music and remain anonymous thus leaving only music that would speak about him. And it does! He has remixed such artists as Radiohead, Mark Ronson, Underworld, Basement Jaxx and others, and this year is one of the headliners who perform on Positivus main stage. 

Salacgrīva (Latvia) is just one of his stops on his busy tour schedule from UK to Tokyo, from Norway to San Francisko. While some of his upcoming gigs in London are already sold out, Positivus should be thankful to have this unique opportunity see him play live together with Sampha, one of his co-musicians. 

The show starts with Never Never from the debut album Young Turks. After that Sampha spares some introduction words praising the festival by saying ‘it’s so much positive energy out here’. Meanwhile, SBTRKT are ready for the next song, and it’s the well known Hold On. ‘Hold On, Positivus’, they say as if getting the audience ready for an amazing show.

They are doing well with the rest of the songs such as Something Goes On and Pharaohs when we hear the voice of Roses Gabor who has been featured on the song. Then with a rather long instrumental part starts the last song Right Thing To Do when Sampha asks everyone sing along Such a hurricane, such a hurtin pain making the song last longer and maintaining the connection with the audience. People who have been dancing on the ‘muddy dance-floor’ follow this invitation and leave the band satisfied with their performance. 

Their show is not long and perhaps not interesting for everyone, but some of those post-dubstep dance rhythms are definitely worth to catch somewhere between The Vaccines and Fanfarlo who confine them on Positivus line-up.