Beekstraat 1 - B-2640 Mortsel - Belgium

HONCHO: Live In Paris, France

Release

Style

Format: DVD 5 - Picture disc: 4:3 - Audio format: stereo - Region Code: 0 - Video standard: PAL

‘Burning In Water, Drowning In Fire’ got 9,5/10 in October 2005 in our magazine. That’s why I was very happy when they turned out to be headliner at the first Buzzfest festival at the 18^th of November 2005. During the same tour with Sparzanza and Monkey3, recordings were made of a gig at the 12^th of November at Le Batofar Club in Paris, France. These are released now on DVD and they offer a honest and spontaneous registration of the band.

The seventies based heavy rock with chunky grooves of this Norwegian quintet comes to full bloom in the smoky atmosphere of a small club, where many crowdsurfer takes a chance during the performance. It was filmed with six cameras and though colours are quite low budget, sound is sure-fire. Honcho’s music is interlarded with greasy guitar solos and has some affinity with the music of The Free, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix and the early Fleetwood Mac in the seventies. That the concert begins with a sound-tape of the phenomenal ‘Oh Well’ of Fleetwood Mac speaks for itself. But the band itself has so much to offer. Besides the cover versions of ‘Viking’ (Los Lobos) and a firm version of ‘Watching You’ (Kiss) the band cuts loose in their own compositions. The bluesy ‘Hangover Blues’ – a song about drinking and masturbating – and the in-draught ‘Silly’ illustrate that the band is familiar with their classic catalogue, but they are able to add something special to it. The solid instrumental background is charismatically strengthened by the marvellous voice of Lars Erik Si, who – a bit worn out by heavy touring life, that’s what we learn when reading the tour diary partly on the cover – is doing a great job. It is a magnificent registration of sensitive blues moments and go all the way rocking in stoner rock style, or maybe we better describe it as some groovy heavy seventies rock.

As extras one may find on this DVD a documentary about the making of, a discography, a large number of live photos and contact addresses. May be a rather rudimental release, but sure worth watching if you are into seventies heavy rock with blues tinge.

Musicians

Lars Erik Si: vocals, organ, percussion
Rino Bambin: guitar, lead guitar
Häkon Eng: guitar
Steinar Knapstad: bass
Kenneth Andersen: drums

Concert at Le Batofar, Paris, France on the 12^th of November 2005
Intro: Oh Well (Fleetwood Mac)
Viking
Some Say
Falling Behind
Hangover Blues
Holy
Industrial Lane
Silly
Watching You
Lost & There
Seeing You
Messenger Messiah
Discography
Live Pictures Gallery
Making of
Song Selection

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Last updated: 09/12/2006 .
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