Institute of Contemporary Arts

DAY TWENTY-THREE: Wir Sind Helden and Leash

Date: 25 July 2007

Berlin came to the ICA for Day 23 of the festival. The majority of the audience were German, with the population coming to watch Leash and Wir Sind Helden.  Talking to some Italians before either band came on, Nico and Chiari told us they had come because they were huge fans of German electropop and heard that the headliners had sold out their last two London gigs.  Impressive stuff.  So whilst looking forward to Wir Sind Helden the excitable crowd watched the support, Leash. I tried to find out some information on Leash before the gig, with very little success, I could find nothing.  I always think this is quite a nice thing when listening to a band, knowing nothing about them whatsoever.  What to say about Leash? Um...  Torie, the resident blogger, labelled them a grungy A-HA.  Not a bad description at all, quite accurate in fact. An indie-rock trio with some 80s electro filtering in at times, with some synths definitely featuring. It took a while for the crowd to warm up but I think it took a while for Leach to also.  While launching into the song Tupperware, I could just determine the line ‘...then I saw her Tupperware', wonder what preceded it? But the audience seemed to gradually get into the swing of the noise. The lead singer's dancing was amazing - great value and their set seemed to get heavier and more intense as it went on with one number seemingly lasting about 10 minutes.  By this stage there were some folk really getting excited at the front of the stage.  At the close, Leash told us to buy their material and new track Over-rated (I think!) as it ‘would make us really happy if you like it', the response of ‘ahs' and ‘ohs' from the crowd was great.  Talking to one girl in the crowd who was from Berlin, she seemed to think they were pretty good and I think that was gradually the consensus towards the end of their set.

 Standing in the ICA bar during acts, the place had a great atmosphere about it, the whole evening did. Talking to 3 young Germans who were in London for the week and trying to get into the gig (they didn't unfortunately, it had sold out) they told us that Wir Sind Helden meant ‘We are Heroes'. With my Deutsch, usually superb of course, I had got as far as the Wir - We. So it was handy having a quick translation.

With the crowd waiting with anticipation for these heroes, the music started without the band, all dramatic effect I think, but it seemed to work by the outpouring of noise from the crowd when the band came on stage.  Now, I had a bit of a problem deciphering the titles of some of the tracks, ignorant creature that I am, but I thought it amazingly refreshing to hear a band from Germany sing in German.  I liked the fact that I didn't have a clue what they were singing about or about 60% of what they said in-between their numbers.  Head girl Judith Holofernes immediately asked how many of the audience were from Germany and how many from England, the latter severely drowned out by the former.  She thought there were still too many English for her to speak in her native tongue, receiving pantomime style boos for the fact.  The tracks were laced with synth and were amazingly jolly, with even the folk at the back of the room dancing immediately.  After a few numbers guitarist Mark Tavassol told us that "I'm dreaming in England, it is such a nice language", to much laughter from everyone in the theatre, Holofernes followed on to ask "maybe we will just stay if you let us?" Launching into Gekommen Um Zu Bleiben a song reminiscent of The Cure's  Love Cats, Holofernes did a quick jive with the bassist.  She certainly was a lively being throughout the performance, with outbursts of hippy-esque dancing, she was beaming as much as the audience.  Other numbers I deciphered: Guten-Ta', the song that first launched them, Wenn Dein Herz Zu Schlagen Aufhort and ‘Ist Das So?' all quite catchy, infectious numbers.  They managed to get the whole crowd to sing along and the constant clapping prompted Holofernes to wonder if the audience "maybe make lots of babies inspired by all this love?" the atmosphere was truly lovely.

The band featured trumpet, trombone and saxophone players who intermittently danced like they thought they were in The Supremes, it was amazingly entertaining to watch, increased more so by the reaction of the crowd.

After leaving the stage, the foot stamping and cheering ensured they came back.  For their next number they got the crowd to do ‘jazz hands' and pirouette, not usual audience participation it must be said but the audience took it up with delight. After their last number all six members came to the front to bow, as Leash had done before them.  I must confess, thinking this was the end of the set I departed from the ICA.  Speaking to Torie whilst walking away, who was still taking photos of the evening, she told me they had come back on.  Much to the pleasure of the audience who didn't seem best pleased at the music stopping at any point.  Maybe they decided to stay in London after all? Maybe they are still playing in the theatre now?

 

Flossie Ravenscroft

 

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