Here's the second live review to come from Mikey Ortega. He headed to Idaho in early June to catch some shows and he caught Godspeed You! Black Emperor along with Marisa Anderson. No flyer again, as I couldn't find one but there are photos and videos of the gig below. Hope you enjoy!
During my stay in Idaho, I’ve been going to lots of show and all of them have been awesome, but out of all the shows, I don’t think anything has topped Godspeed You!Black Emperor in Garden City. When I planned my trip to Boise, I had no idea they were gonna be in the area. I was bummed out that I missed them in Santa Ana and LA, due to other obligations. But as soon as I found out there were still tickets, I got on Eventbrite, and snagged one. I knew this was gonna be the greatest live experience since watching Neurosis or SunnO))) live. Seeing that I got a second change to catch Godspeed live, I made sure that I wasn’t gonna miss this.
The Visual Arts Collective building was in what looks like an industrial area. It was about a good 5-10 minute drive from Downtown Boise and it was in back of other buildings in the area. Luckily I was with friends, or else I might have missed it if I went by myself but inside the venue, it looked so nice. The bar area looked cool. The stage was pretty big and so was the floor. Also out front of the venue, they got a really nice patio where everyone can hang and have a smoke. I was also told that Blake from Wolvserpent works the sound. Which is pretty awesome. A lot of people from Radio Boise and local bands were at this event. Pretty much if you wanted to meet everyone who is part of the Boise music scene, this was the place to be.
When I got there, Marisa Anderson was already playing. Of course she’s the only direct support for Godspeed during this whole tour. This was the first time I heard Marisa Anderson and it was a fun set. She really had this nice bluesy-folk sound. It’s definitely something I would listen in front of my porch, chilling and having a smoke. Just enjoying the view in the countryside. Marisa Anderson is quite the character. In between songs, she tells a story behind each song. She really has a dark sense of humour. For me, that is always welcome. Her guitar work sounded amazing. I tried to get a look at the pedals she was using, but there was a crowd up front. Maybe if Marisa Anderson comes to LA, I’ll try to catch her show again.
After Marisa’s set, I was gonna chill outside, until Godspeed! You Black Emperor finished setting up. But I saw some of the crowd moving closer to the stage, so instead of hanging out, I stayed and tried to get a good spot. I stood there for a good hour. I made sure not to use my phone that much, because I wanted to get plenty of pics, and didn’t want my phone to die out. Of course Godspeed”s gear was out. They just needed to dial in their tone and make sure everything is mic’d. Just seeing them get their sound set up was pretty cool. It was like I got to know the band even more. By the time the visuals came on, the venue started to get packed. It felt like the whole town was there to experience this killer set. I believe they opened up with “Moya”, from the Slow Riot for New Zero Kannada EP. That song pretty much set the tone for that night’s set. After that, they played some stuff from their recent stuff and right there, it’s when it felt like Godspeed’s music just sucked my soul into a sonic portal. As if their riffs were guiding me through an outer-body experience. The visuals were stunning. Of course it being 16mm film, you know you’re gonna get some beautiful quality. The visuals and the music just flow together really nice. In some ways, the visuals felt like part of the music. It wasn’t like the visuals were there for the sake of it. It just felt very natural. Which made the live experience even much better. Then during the end of the set, they performed “Blaise Bailey Finnegan III” and HOLY SHIT!, hearing it live was really a sonic experience. Especially towards the end, when they really get intense. I was ready to loose my shit. I didn’t want it to end. I wanted Godspeed to keep playing forever. Or at least play “East Hastings”. That would have really made my night.
It was definitely a night I will never forget. For many years, people have been telling me I need to watch Godspeed! You Black Emperor live. Whenever they’re in town, I always get caught up with something else. There have been times where I felt like I was never gonna see them live but I got really lucky to catch them in Idaho. If anything, I would have thought they already sold out when tickets went on sale but I was so happy to catch them live. Their live set is like nothing on this Earth. It really captures you and leaves a mark inside your head, that you’ll never forget. When Godspeed hits the stage, there is definitely a presence. You can just feel it across the whole venue. It really grabs you and takes you to a sonic journey. They take live shows to another level. It was also like looking at art. They evoke an emotion that I have not felt for a long time. It reminded me why I love going to a live show. It made me appreciate being alive and cherish every moment. I would like to say I can die now, but fuck that. I really want to catch them again.
Marisa Anderson
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - https://www.facebook.com/Godspeed-You-Black-Emperor
Marisa Anderson - https://www.facebook.com/Marisa-Anderson-music
Thanks again Mikey for this awesome review!
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