Jucifer
The Milestone
Feb. 2, 2014
- Photo by Jeff Hahne
- Jucifer
You don’t go to a Jucifer concert to sing along. You don’t go to dance, either. You go to let a wall of sound rush over your body as guitarist/vocalist Amber Valentine and drummer/vocalist Edgar Livengood present a sonic assault on whoever is brave enough to stand in the same room with the stacks of speakers behind the band.
Sunday night’s show was no different. As Valentine began to unleash a flurry of riffs, Livengood sat down at the drum kit and began hammering away. While the two took turns “singing,” it was difficult to hear much of anything vocally above the drums and guitar fury.
For more than 45 minutes, the band unleashed its volcanic intensity as a dozen or so brave souls withstood the entire performance.
- Photo by Jeff Hahne
- Jucifer
While Valentine appeared more active than in previous performances – pacing the area in front of the speakers, kneeling down in front of them – Livengood wasn’t his usual frantic self. In the past he’s hit drums with his hands, poured beer all over his head and drumkit and completely lost himself in the moment. This time around, he appeared to be a bit more controlled, though never less intense in his heavy-handed drumming.
Was there a setlist? Probably. What was on it? I have no earthly idea. Sometimes maybe the band didn’t know either. When Jucifer performs, the moment takes over. You forget there are other people in the room. The sound envelops the listener, grabs a hold and doesn’t let go until the show is over. There are no words spoken between the relentless tsunamis as song after song comes crashing down on the audience.
And just as you start to feel like you’re understanding everything that’s going on in front of you, Valentine raises her hand, offers devil horns with her fingers and waves goodbye. The smoke settles as listeners walk away with the hum of the amps and a ringing in their ears.
- Photo by Jeff Hahne
- Jucifer
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2014.
