BELGIAN ELECTROWAVE IS NOT DEAD 3 (November 16, 2023) (Concert) It was a fine day when the announcement came, on November 16, 2023, that exactly 1 year later, on November 16, 2024, IC434 would celebrate their 30th anniversary,and that noteworthy on the stage where it all started in 1994: at the fortress ofWommelgem.Back then with Stin Scatzor, Ionic Vision and Suicide Commando,nowwith HerrNia,Deleritas and Euphoric Existence.As the event approached,HerrNia was replaced by Darkvolt. Darkvolt, who played their very first live concert here. Something that is actually hard to believe: this was an opener that stands out from anything else. Now, with the well-known Sam Devos on keyboard, vocalist Frederik was backed up by someone with experience (he was part of For Greater Good, among others). It was an almost perfect set, in which they played a series of top songs from their 2 albums.Yes: their first live set, but they already have 2 albums to their credit.Piece by piece great danceable tracks formed a fine coherent whole.Both visually and musically the picture was perfect.We can only hope that they get picked up and can be seen more often on various stages. In any case, it tasted sweet. After them: one of the leading bands in the Walloon part of our country when it comes to industrial and danceable beats. I simply cannot be more objective about Deleritas. I was a fan from their first album and have seen them at work several times, especially during home games in Liege. Now, our country is a molehill and yet there is a noticeable difference between the Flemish and Walloon scene. So I was somewhere nervous on their behalf (though they were nervous enough themselves), because what would that give? Well, they outdid themselves. AND you can tell that from the reactions on social media after the performance. I already read that it was their best set ever (dixit IC434),'pounding show that will be remembered for a long long long time' (according to one Vain, also known as the singer of CauseNation and organizer of the evening) to a 'add a guitar and you've got Feindflug' according to a visitor. In short: it was more than just good! On to the party animal of the evening. IC 434,Geert De Wilde's project, joined on keyboards this time by Jan Dewulf, one of those other icons but from the coast. For those who can't find the clapper: feel free to look up Mildreda. It was clear that the roomwas in the right mood.Moving bodies from front to back.And who would think that after 5 years of silence the music would rust I can say that Geert used a whole carton ofWD40.No trace of rust to be found. With a setlist neatly divided between the various releases, IC 434 brought an overview of what they had (and still have) to offer. Let's face it: their catalog is not that extensive with 5 albums, but quality over quantity: each and every one of them are gems that really should be in everyone's collection.A re-release of the out-of-print pieces is imminent! The same clearly applies to the performances. Only sporadically does the intergalactic horsehead take the stage, only when the stars are really good. But when they are right, then you can take it as venom that they actually pop like comets.When the band and audience align and feel like it, you get what we got here too: a touch of magic. I'm already taking out my star calendar to see when the stars will align, because who knows, maybe someday we'll make it and see IC 434 back on a stage... Never say it was one last concert. Euphoric Existence was given the difficult task of ending the chapter. With noticeably fewer people (a lot of corpi were looking to cool off outside) Koen and Bart put on a very solid performance. I think it was the 4th or 5th time I saw them and each time they still managed to captivate the listeners.Only downside: I had the feeling that it all sounded a bit louder now and a splitting headache caused a forced pause in the corridors of the fortress.Too bad,because after all, this is a band that can come out solid live. The afterparty (and the interludes between performances) were provided by DJ's Peter Melis and DJ PK.No surprises in the sets, but great (and at times nostalgic) beats that still got me on the dance floor for a while before returning home. Satisfied, tired and with what would turn out to be sore feet the following day: the body felt it had been good. - 23 - [PD] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be
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