Yakuza / Blood Tribe / Deliver Us from Evil
1123 Club – Evansville, IN – April 19th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
I was both surprised and elated to hear of Yakuza’s show in Evansville, but I knew I’d go as soon as I found out about it. Unfortunately, there were a few unforeseen setbacks that I had to face: a speeding ticket courtesy of the Evansville police force and the absence of tour openers Deadbird. Nevertheless, the Prosthetic-signed Chicagoans put on a great show that night, which was brief, yet captivating. I missed Deliver Us from Evil and Blood Tribe because I was entrenched in an interview with Yakuza outside of the venue, so I can’t tell you how well or how poor the respective opening groups performed. Still, I did expect more than 20 people to be in attendance – no such luck for Yakuza. The 1123 Club is small, however, and I suppose I didn’t expect a huge crowd in the first place since the concert occurred on a weeknight in a little town.
Despite the lack of audience members, the foursome evidently took it in stride, playing as if headcount didn’t matter. And if we were to make a wager on it, I’d bet that it didn’t. Having spoken with them prior to the event, I really had no idea as to what a Yakuza live show entailed, and I was taken aback when I saw each of the four guys put forth his individual contributions without interacting with the others whatsoever. It was like every member was in his own little world, yet the unpredictable music came together naturally and beautifully. Vocalist, saxophonist, and clarinetist Bruce Lamont – reminding me of Unearth’s Trevor Phipps (vocals) to a certain extent – added the inventive touches to a rousing, detached live set – singing, headbanging, and jazzing it up as required. Matt McClelland (guitars, vocals) occupied his own slice of the stage while growling into a microphone that faced away from the audience, which was offset by Jackson’s (bass) lack of interaction on all counts. Jackson was content to play away in his gas mask, which recalled fond memories of Galactic Cowboys – a band that shared an affinity for breathing apparatuses, too. James Staffel, the backbone of the rhythm section, pounded the shit out of his drumkit, meshing perfectly with the other instrumentation, and I marveled at Staffel’s energy, which seemed to be unrelenting and more importantly, limitless.
Lasting an hour total, Yakuza presented live renditions of favorites such as “Chicago Typewriter” (Way of the Dead) and “Cancer of Industry” (Samsara), perhaps fueled by a successful release on a fairly big label. The most profound moment, for me anyway, was when I noticed the stage lighting projecting green on one half and red on the other, alluding to the disparities included within the band’s music. And even though they aren’t the most approachable outfit – nor the most streamlined for that matter – Yakuza are incredibly deep, crafting music that others are afraid to. The two-hour trip, in short, was worth it.
All photographs copyright Jason Jordan 2006. Thanks to Mike Smith for scanning the photographs.
UM’s Interview with Yakuza
UM’s Review of Yakuza – Samsara
Official Yakuza Website
Official Prosthetic Records Website
Official 1123 Club Website
1123 Club – Evansville, IN – April 19th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
I was both surprised and elated to hear of Yakuza’s show in Evansville, but I knew I’d go as soon as I found out about it. Unfortunately, there were a few unforeseen setbacks that I had to face: a speeding ticket courtesy of the Evansville police force and the absence of tour openers Deadbird. Nevertheless, the Prosthetic-signed Chicagoans put on a great show that night, which was brief, yet captivating. I missed Deliver Us from Evil and Blood Tribe because I was entrenched in an interview with Yakuza outside of the venue, so I can’t tell you how well or how poor the respective opening groups performed. Still, I did expect more than 20 people to be in attendance – no such luck for Yakuza. The 1123 Club is small, however, and I suppose I didn’t expect a huge crowd in the first place since the concert occurred on a weeknight in a little town.
Despite the lack of audience members, the foursome evidently took it in stride, playing as if headcount didn’t matter. And if we were to make a wager on it, I’d bet that it didn’t. Having spoken with them prior to the event, I really had no idea as to what a Yakuza live show entailed, and I was taken aback when I saw each of the four guys put forth his individual contributions without interacting with the others whatsoever. It was like every member was in his own little world, yet the unpredictable music came together naturally and beautifully. Vocalist, saxophonist, and clarinetist Bruce Lamont – reminding me of Unearth’s Trevor Phipps (vocals) to a certain extent – added the inventive touches to a rousing, detached live set – singing, headbanging, and jazzing it up as required. Matt McClelland (guitars, vocals) occupied his own slice of the stage while growling into a microphone that faced away from the audience, which was offset by Jackson’s (bass) lack of interaction on all counts. Jackson was content to play away in his gas mask, which recalled fond memories of Galactic Cowboys – a band that shared an affinity for breathing apparatuses, too. James Staffel, the backbone of the rhythm section, pounded the shit out of his drumkit, meshing perfectly with the other instrumentation, and I marveled at Staffel’s energy, which seemed to be unrelenting and more importantly, limitless.
Lasting an hour total, Yakuza presented live renditions of favorites such as “Chicago Typewriter” (Way of the Dead) and “Cancer of Industry” (Samsara), perhaps fueled by a successful release on a fairly big label. The most profound moment, for me anyway, was when I noticed the stage lighting projecting green on one half and red on the other, alluding to the disparities included within the band’s music. And even though they aren’t the most approachable outfit – nor the most streamlined for that matter – Yakuza are incredibly deep, crafting music that others are afraid to. The two-hour trip, in short, was worth it.
All photographs copyright Jason Jordan 2006. Thanks to Mike Smith for scanning the photographs.
UM’s Interview with Yakuza
UM’s Review of Yakuza – Samsara
Official Yakuza Website
Official Prosthetic Records Website
Official 1123 Club Website
