Björk brings a tesla coil and a wacky exuberance
Björk, Stars Bell Stage Saturday
Björk landed at Bluesfest on Saturday with a concert that should have carried an advisory warning festival-goers would be in for something completely different.
Sporting a huge mane of frizzy red hair, the eccentric Icelandic singer-songwriter defied the unwritten rule of playing a Saturday night at a festival by delivering a show that was not designed to get people dancing, inspire a thirst for beer or otherwise stoke the party.
In fact, most people who witnessed the spectacle are probably still scratching their heads trying to figure out what it was designed to do. I can tell you it was theatrical, wacky and mind-blowing, complete with a choir in sparkly robes and a rarely seen electrical contraption called a tesla coil, which buzzed and sparked over Björk’s head during certain songs.
Björk is touring to bring to life her most recent album, the ambitious 2011 offering Biophila, reportedly inspired by a desire to reflect on nature with the help of technology, whether it be electronic beats or an app for your phone.
After hiking in the Gatineau Hills this week, Björk performed with what appeared to be a renewed appreciation for her subject matter. With her cape blowing in the breeze, she began with the stirring Cosmogony, followed by the creeping Hunter and the tesla coil-fired Thunderbolt. Heirloom, Jogaa and Possibly Maybe, another tesla number, were also on the setlist. Without question, she was a compelling performer, prancing the length of the stage, waving her arms as she sang and chirping thank you between songs.
The beats got heavier towards the end, as bonfires of pyro added to the tribal feel of Nattura and Declare Independence. By that point, everyone was dancing.
Earlier in the evening, Canadian indie pop outfit Stars filled the golden hour, that magical moment before the sun set, with their gorgeously constructed music, sending waves of happiness rippling through the crowd on the main plaza.
Singers Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan traded vocals, his emotion-saturated croon contrasting with the chilling delicacy of her voice as the band piled on layers of lush keyboards and shimmery guitars. Highlights of a gorgeous set included The North, despite its unnecessary reminder that these beautiful summer nights are not going to last, the percolating We Don’t Want Your Body, the softly rocking Dead Hearts and the definitively rocking Take Me To the Riot.
Also endearing was the thrill Campbell expressed over the fact they were sharing a field with Björk, gushing over her talent and bravery as an artist who, as he put it, gives permission to others to be creative.”
Amid all the beautiful sounds at the festival on Sunday, the angry energy of Death Grips stood out like a sore thumb. Performing as a duo, stone-faced, robot-inspired producer Zach Hill and bare-chested, tattooed rapper MC Ride barely came up for air as they delivered a barrage of techno and hiphop on the main stage. There was no friendly chat with the crowd; just track after track of hardcore death rap, to coin a genre, fuelled by punk rage and a throbbing beat. As you can imagine, it was an awesomely frightening warmup for the strange and beautiful world of Björk.