Sunday, September 10, 2017

Live: The Black Angels @ Piraeus 117 Academy (Athens, September 7th, 2017)


"Death Song", The Black Angels' fifth album, brought the Austin, Texas, psych-rock quintet back to Athens for a fourth time. After playing in summer festivals on their two previous visits, this time the band was here to do its own gig and present its latest release, one of the year's finest, almost in its entirety.


Interestingly enough, the only track off "Death Song" which we didn't get to hear live this time, was "Hunt Me Down", the new song they had chosen to preview in last summer's Release Festival set, so their loyal Greek fans have now listened live every note on the new album.


From the "death" songs that we did get to hear live on this occasion, my favorites included the opening "Currency", "I Dreamt" and "Medicine", while from their back catalogue "Black Grease" and "Bad Vibrations" are always sure fire hits, as is "Young Men Dead", one of the oldest songs in their set, which they saved for the climactic ending of their three-song encore.


Here's the entire set that The Black Angels presented in their fourth visit to Athens:

Currency, Bad Vibrations, The Prodigal Son, I Dreamt, Medicine, I Hear Colors (Chromaesthesia), Black Grease, Grab As Much (as you can), Half Believing, The Sniper at the Gates of Heaven, Entrance Song, I'd Kill for Her, You on the Run, Comanche Moon, Life Song. Encore: Estimate, Death March, Young Men Dead



The Black Angels, live @ Piraeus 117 Academy

The local band that was fittingly chosen to open for the Texans was Holy Monitor who, despite problems with their live sound, played a spirited half-hour set of speedy psych-garage tracks selected from their promising self-titled debut album.

Holy Monitor, live @ Piraeus 117 Academy
Check out below The Black Angels performing "Death March" during the encore of their gig on Thursday:


The Black Angels - Death March, live @ Piraeus 117 Academy (Athens, September 7th, 2017)
 

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