Barnadarkfest III fills Sala Slow again
Every September we clock in, and there we were once more. Barnadarkfest III, put together by promoter Vil with Amy Ladygoth, who runs Spit It Out, kept the formula from the previous editions: four bands, one night, and Sala Slow, a room whose sound we already praised last week.
It sold out, which is always good news for everyone involved. Promoters, venue, bands and audience all benefit, because a full room makes people want to come back next time. A small festival lives off that momentum, and Barnadarkfest has spent three years earning it.
Four bands against a curfew
Four bands in a room that turns into a nightclub after hours means a hard finishing time, and therefore an early start. Part of the crowd hasn’t arrived yet when the first notes land. That is the cost of the format and everyone accepts it.
The organisation held up its end. Doors and stage times were kept, and there were no last-minute cuts, which is usually the first casualty when a four-band bill runs twenty minutes late. Each act got to play what it had planned.
The running order also built a climb. From Mylla Issues’ electronics to Moth Slut’s goth, then Larva’s aggro and Hasswut’s industrial, the night gained weight and speed with no changeover feeling like a break.
Mylla Issues opens with a stripped-down set
Mylla Issues had the opening slot, travelling from Rome with a very simple set-up. It was a strong start and a good way to warm the room. Her electronic darkwave with eighties touches is putting her among the most talked-about names on the European scene, and having her in Barcelona was a real privilege.
When a live show works with this little equipment, it says something about the songs. Anyone who caught her at Slow left understanding the buzz. Keep an eye out, because her interview is coming soon here at Other Voices.
Moth Slut, the discovery of the night
The second band was a proper find. Moth Slut come from Manchester, home of Joy Division, New Order and Oasis, which is a heavy legacy for anyone leaving that city with guitars and eyeliner. The duo carry it well. Their goth takes the best of the golden years of Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim and adds something current and their own. Neogoth, if you like.
Booking them was a masterstroke by Amy. By her own account she saw them play in England and told them they had to come to Barcelona one way or another. They did. That is what having a scene person behind the bill looks like: someone who listens, travels and brings back what she loved.
Larva and the Marc show
Third on were Larva, stalwarts of Spanish aggro. Their career is long by any measure and they are lovely people, which shows on stage. Every Larva gig is a Marc show: up and down, constant faces, constant poses, not a second wasted. This year they released their latest record, “Bodies Without Organs”.
A very solid set, backed up in the engine room by Anoxia, who is the one really steering the ship so that nothing spins out of control.
If you still haven’t seen them, do it at least once. Those who have don’t need persuading.
Hasswut, metallic industrial in German
Hasswut closed the night. The Alicante trio play metallic industrial with lyrics in German, which is their trademark. Singing in German from the Mediterranean is a choice that makes more sense live than on record, and at Slow it did.
The staging was strongly futuristic, visuals included, and the stage ended up too small for it. Even so, Hermes on sound, excellent as ever, made them sound very good. That is all you can ask of a shallow room and a four-band bill: that each act sounds like itself.
On to the fourth edition
Congratulations on a great night, great artists and great organisation. Vil and Amy got four bands from Rome, Manchester, Alicante and elsewhere in Spain to share a bill without any of them looking out of place. With a full room and everything on time, the fourth edition already has its bar set.
