Concert review: Calmando Qual @ Lr6 (Brussels)

On Sunday 12-05-2013, the blues/jazz bistro "Lr6" once again hosted a Japanese music act in their basement. This time, it was Calmando Qual's turn to fill the small but atmospheric space below the bistro. And they weren't going to wait for everyone to look up, for as soon as vocalist Hibiki opened his throat, all eyes and ears were on them.

It wasn't their first European Tour, so they knew how to captivate a European audience: loud bass, louder drumms and a very passionate guitarist. Seeing this guy play his instrument was truly a feast for the eye, it's a shame the light is less-than-wonderful down in that basement.

Of course, a lack of light creates a perfect atmosphere for a heavy rock band like Calmando Qual, but makes it a lot harder to take decent photos. Thankfully, the guys seemed to be aware of this, and some tried to make the light work with them, but the bassist apparently chose to remain shrouded in shadows.

The concert itself was pretty much what one would expect from them: loud music, loud vocals and an interesting dynamic between them and the crowd. The small basement allowed for rather direct interaction, and created a rather cozy and intimate feeling to the whole event. Their slightly aggressive performance was perfect for the acoustics of the place, sound bouncing off the walls and ceiling, creating the perfect heavy rock experience.

At the end of the day I didn't feel like I'd missed anything from their act, and I have to say these guys are even better live than on CD.

Previous "Band of the Week" article on Calmando Qual: Click Here.
Photogallery of this concert: Click Here.