On Sunday, I admit that with the cold and the sore throat that was waiting for me I did not have too much motivation to go out. But hey, I had bought my place for Meshuggah at the Transbordeur months in advance, Iwas not going to give up at the last moment because it promised to be downright epic.
The doors opened at 7 p.m., and between the cars that passed honking the horns the metalheads and the joyful discussions around me the half hour of waiting passed quickly. I was happy to have arrived a little early because the queue continued very far behind.
Arrived in the room I put myself directly on the bleachers (#mamie), which were quickly filled. I am not 1m80 so unless I am all in front in the concerts I do not see much, and I especially tend to faint if I am too hot or if there are too many people around me (the moment of solitude). And then, I wanted to be well placed to see everything during Meshuggah because their light engineer has a hell of a reputation.
Meshuggah, I had more or less seen them at Hellfest 2015, but I do not keep a very clear memory: it was at the very end of the evening on the first day, and I was completely broken, so I had listened from afar, sleeping in the grass.
Meshuggah toured Europe with High on Fire, who opened for them. High on Fire started at 8pm and ended at 9pm, and to be honest it was one of the longest hours of my life; And I think a certain part of the audience also felt that way (I even have two friends who fell asleep, that's to say). 2/3 songs is very nice but a whole set I found it quite heavy.The music of High on Fire is a kind of Motörhead a little more "modern", with a drums like Mastodon (kind of breaks everywhere but also unfortunately always in the same places). Good on paper it looks cool but I found it without much interest.
Meshuggah started around 9:20 pm with Clockworks, one of the major tracks of their latest album.
And direct, it was the slap.
I have rarely heard such a massive sound and from the beginning I was just impressed by the play of lights. The guy is crazy, he follows all the accents / stops of the music and it frankly brings an incredible energy to the whole. I don't like to take videos during concerts because it spoils me a little bit in the moment but I couldn't help but make mini videos of each effect, it was too beautiful.
Widely acclaimed, the band continued with Born in Dissonance, one of my favorites of the concert I think, also present on The Violent Sleep of Reason, their latest album.
Meshuggah then went on to play less recent tracks, such as Perpetual Black Second or the too cool Stengah, from their album Nothing (2002).
This was followed by Koloss (2013), Meshuggah's iconic album (and the one I knew them with) and Obzen (2008). After chaining Nostrum and Violent Sleep of Reason from their last album, the intro of Dancers to a Discordant System set fire to the room (with lasers and colors everywhere this phrase really made sense at that time).
After a few thanks Meshuggah of course launched Bleed, their most famous song, the one that all drummers who try double pedals know the rhythm. One of my friends next door (drummer, so) was even on the verge of tears it was so cute.
And as an encore, I was served: they played Demiurge, one of my favorite songs, which sounds a lot like a song (well, our song is very similar, hem) that I play with one of my bands, so hearing the main riff makes me laugh too much every time.
Meshuggah finished on a high note with Future Breed Machine. We were finally able to see their faces, because the musicians are completely in the dark while they play to make room for the play of light. Big Up Tomas Haake, best drummer.
During this concert I was able to see a lot of people I knew from near or far, in short the whole metal scene of Lyon was there.
And I thought it was cool because if one band can get everyone to agree, it's Meshuggah.
They are really the dads of metal: their sound beats, everything is clean, the atmosphere created by the play of light is unique.
It's not for nothing that they have been there for 30 years!
SETLIST
Clockworks
Born in Dissonance
Sane
Perpetual Black Second
Stengah
The Hurt that Finds You First
Lethargica
Do Not Look Down
Nostrum
Violent Sleep of Reason
Dancers to a Discordant System
Bleed
Demiurge
Future Breed Machine