Fixmer/McCarthy, Combichrist, and Aesthetic Perfection: Hollywood, CA 11-1-04

Two overseas EBM acts gave Los Angeles fans a reason to go out the night after Halloween. After an early set by local up-and-comers Aesthetic Perfection, it was time for CombiChrist. This is the side project of Icon Of Coil’s Andy Laplegua, and after having seen Andy perform several times, I can say without a doubt that this was the best show I’ve ever seen him do. With STG’s Shane Talada running the gear, Andy was free to work the crowd. Face coated in stage blood and decked out in what looked like a bulletproof vest, he bounded up and down the stage, belting out lyrics to favorites like “God Wrapped In Plastic” and even delivering a brutally heavy rendition of Icon Of Coil favorite “Shelter.” Headlining was Fixmer/McCarthy, the new collaboration between French techno producer Terence Fixmer and Nitzer Ebb singer and EBM legend Douglas McCarthy. After the energy of CombiChrist’s performance, this was almost anticlimactic, especially when the duo opened up with Nitzer Ebb’s club hit “Join In The Chant.” As big a crowd favorite as this is, the recording we’ve all danced to in the clubs sounds so huge and epic that a live performance in an intimate venue could never quite match up. The fact that Douglas McCarthy is looking more and more reminiscent of Mister Beene dressed up as Andrew Eldritch, complete with pilot’s sunglasses and pointy Beatle shoes, didn’t help. Surprisingly, newer material like “Splitter” and “You Want It” came across as good as – or even better than – the classic Nitzer Ebb tracks, though it was still great to see how much “Murderous” and “Control I’m Here” can still energize a crowd. They don’t call it “electronic body music” for nothing, and judging from the sweaty faces in front of the stage, McCarthy still knows how to get us moving, even on a Monday. Let your body learn, as the man said, or just expand your mind at www.combichrist.com and www.power-of-voice.de/fixmermccarthy/.