Teledrome, Juzni and Neon Lies @ AKC Medika

I only hold lower most contempt for "summer break" in Zagreb concert season. Year after year I hear explanations but they offer no more than lame excuses. With that said, I do understand the issue of overstretched expenses in many of venues and that makes my respect for AKC Medika bigger and bigger each year. I love their shows, their activism, function in front of form approach. Year after year it ensures interesting and fun summer in Zagreb and I never ever leave their commons disappointed.

One such example happened this Thursday. There was Teledrome gig in Attack and Juzni and Neon Lies supported them with their performances. I went there with high expectations and I left more than ecstatic.

For starters there was this great flyer by Biblical Violence Illustrations:

I did not know much about the performers before the gig but this is all my fault since AKC Medika social media person spares no effort to collate and present A LOT of information about all their happenings on Facebook, Twitter, and Attack homepage.

I knew there would be Sven from ### so I was sure there will be something interesting there. Not to beat around the bush - this performance was just awesome! Usual Juzni setup is Sara and Eva from Žen and Goran and Sven from ### - but due to some unforeseen circumstances Goran was absent from this gig and we were notified in advance on FB/twitter that the performers will be "Dražen i Lidija Transjužni Improvizacijski Trio".

I loved this set. It was majestic in sound just as much as it was pretty.

Dražen i Lidija Transjužni Improvizacijski Trio

They opened with something experimentally post-rockish (Sven is playing with some kind of drumsticks on a bass guitar laid flat - if I saw this correctly - and girls are blazing good on drums and guitar) and soon into the set the strobes started to flash and the music heated up and flowed - for 20 or so minutes - without ever ceasing to be really exciting and interesting. I loved this gig. I'm already hoping there will be more of their music.

Second act was Neon Lies.

Goran Lautar - Neon Lies - performing at Attack.

This was a surprise for me. I was so baffled seeing Goran Lautar is Neon Lies that it took a few minutes and half a dozen of funny smses to ascertain and confirm the situation. In this act first song was like first pancake; sticky and behaving weirdly, threatening to ruin your pleasure for the whole batch - but, sound got better and everything got adjusted and whole set was surprisingly smooth. I do not know the guy that well but he seemed quite freaked out before the set and he was very happy with the reception and his own performance afterwards. It will be good seeing Neon Lies again after this first ever performance. I have a feeling it could grow nicely.

And then, Teledrome.Teledrome was great.

There was this awesome mixture of Hemendex vibe with how Handsome Furs used to expend their energy while performing. Plus punk-ishly short songs. They have an album here so you can sample it.

I danced my ass off.

They were in good spirits, very relaxed and played with fierce energy. I loved how they just spread that cool, self-confident tone everywhere they went during the intermezzos in the commons and then took it to stage to wash over us like a tidal wave. It was a great, rejuvenating, energizing experience. I could have it three times a day without ever getting bored.

All in all great, great gig and another night well spent on Attack grounds.


*gig report also published at Terapija.net in English.