Recently I had the pleasure of crossing off a concert from my bucket list – God Is An Astronaut. It is a band which technically doesn’t belong in the metal genre, yet their music resonates in some way with the metal audience. This band is also known for their musical talents and the capability of transferring emotions in a way you have never experienced yet.
As a result, I was super thrilled about this concert. My excitement was partly ignited by the chat I had with Jamie and Torsten. During this chat at D Metal Galaxy I’ve learned many interesting insights and some secrets were uncovered, such as their latest album “The Beginning of The End”, their views on music and the creative process behind it.
On the basis of all this and my live experience I will cover the following topics: the support band, God Is An Astronaut set, music, musicians and lighting. In the end I will summarize my experience of seeing God Is An Astronaut for the first time ever!
The Support Band – Wild Rocket
The band that opened the night was a great one. It sucked the audience into the music straightaway and at the same time foreshadowed what was going to come.
The Fit
The very reason why this band was a great fit is due to the musicality and the way they brought their music alive. Their set was very complex and well composed. Also the band had a lot of amps. I am not entirely sure about the end goal as I am not a musician myself, but it definitely sparked a curiosity. I also got the impression this night was going to be music from the highest shelf which turned out to be true in the end.
Music
The music itself was hard to place for me as I haven’t heard anything alike except God Is An Astronaut. Well, there are still huge differences between the two. For me the support band was far more ambient. Also, according to me it stayed more in one bubble of emotion whereas God Is An Astronaut unpeeled different layers of emotions. I believe this kind of combination and differences greatly worked out as the support band trapped you in this wall of sound, anchoring you to what is going to come. Whereas, the music of God Is An Astronaut was a deeper exploration of this.
Furthermore, the lighting greatly contributed to the music as it set a dark tone due to the focus on dark blue and dark green enhancing the music even more.
God Is An Astronaut – The set
I could not be more thrilled for the concert when God Is Astronaut started to set up. So many different guitars and pedals. Foreshadowing a diverse night with a lot of musicality.
The band played for a bit more than 1.5 hours which is quite a long set. Especially, if you consider the fact that the band is driven mainly by instruments and atmosphere, however there wasn’t any dull moment at all. In contrast to other bands who focus on atmosphere I was sucked tightly into their music from start to end. The very reason for this is the diversity of the music and surroundings like the lighting and musicians.
God Is An Astronaut -The music
The music was quite diverse as it was shifting from heavy to light parts. Next to it each song transferred a different emotion and underlying message giving you a lot of flavors. When I started drifting away in my own thoughts and having the feeling I have heard everything for the night, the band cleverly brought me back with a twist.
An example of this was when Jamie started playing keyboard. It came to me as a surprise because the first couple of songs were guitarbased and suddenly there was a keyboard as a main instrument. Moreover, this song came with a beautiful melody and great keyboard tunes. Leaving me jaw dropped and focussed for the next couple of songs. When I started to drift away again, Torsten brought me back singing one whole song. This was quite unexpected as it was one and only song of this kind.
God Is An Astronaut – The Musicians
It was super interesting to see each member of God Is An Astronaut in action. The very reason for this is that each of them had an unique way of immersing the music and sharing this experience with the audience.
Personality
Niels seemed totally sucked into it and gone into his own world. I had the impression Torsten was processing and reflecting on each song. And then Jamie seemed to be a bit of both, but doing something different as well. The thing he did differently was the connection with the audience. He was leaning sometimes into the audience waiting for a response. Other times making an eye connection sharing a particular feeling. And then other times Jamie just jumped off stage and danced with the crowd.
The reason why I think this worked out very well are the different backgrounds and generations. Torsten and Niels founded God Is An Astronaut, whereas Jamie started out as a fan and he is also way younger. As a result, Jamie can transfer his own perception of the song when he was a fan and standing in the audience. At least in my own perception I felt that Jamie was the bridge between the band and younger generation, as it is much easier to relate to someone who started out as a fan and is closer to your age.
Clothing & Hair Style
Next to it, each member had their own clothing and hair style. Torsten looked like a real metalhead, whereas Niels looked way more formal and Jamie seemed to be from a different music background like Hip-Pop. Regarding the hair styles: Jamie face was uncovered, Torsten slightly hidden and Niels, well totally covered.
I love these aspects described above as each of the band members has its own personality without losing the integrity of the music. Like Torsten said in an interview, it gives the music each one contributes to the whole flavor mixing it in the end to a great.
The Lighting
The lighting was quite impressive. There were a lot of different colors and patterns shifting each song. Each lighting combination fitted greatly with the song that was played. As a result, the whole experience described above was enhanced.
Summary
God Is An Astronaut might not be your cup of tea, but despite this it is a band one should see. It is a band that can’t be described on one page, but only experienced, because there is so much to this band in terms of musicality, personality and creativity. It’s true that you can find these aspects in their latest albums that focus on the live experience and give you a taste, however it is just a small portion. On the night itself the music is enhanced by the lighting and the way each musician perceives the songs in their own unique way. Something, you won’t find in their live albums as the visuals are a big part what makes God Is An Astronaut a must see. On top of this, there was a great opener on the night foreshadowing what is going to come.
In short, God Is An Astronaut is a band that you must put on your bucket list as they will give you an unique lifetime experience you won’t find elsewhere.
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