WASHINGTON, December, 15, 2011—VNV Nation may be one of the most self assured bands out there today. Their show at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC almost took on the feel of a cathartic light filled intervention. Considering the band’s message, it’s entirely possible this is the main purpose of the show.
The touring band is made up of four members, a lead singer, two guys working keyboards, and a drummer. However the group consists of two members for all intents and purposes. The Irish half of the group is Ronan Harris who is in charge the bands lyrical content and songwriting. The English portion is Mark Jackson, who creates the band’s synthpop/techno soundscape through the application of keyboards and drums.
In most of the band’s promotional material, they make mention of Harris and Jackson’s roots enough that it’s hard not to take notice of it. They seem to be implying despite the contentious nature of the two countries Harris and Jackson are able to come together in harmony further supporting VNV Nation’s, which stands for “Victory Not Vengeance,” mission statement of unity.
While their origins might push the band’s ideology, what’s more consistent with how the band sounds is where they currently reside. Germany is where VNV Nation currently calls home and the country’s finger prints are all over their sound.
The countries around England have a diverse set of music but for the sound VNV Nation lean towards, it tends to be more of a specified niche and underground rather than a prominent fixture. Synthpop, futurepop, club and techno, which are all genres VNV Nation are more commonly found and supported in central Europe than anywhere else, which makes all the more sense why it would be closer to one of their main sources of inspiration.
Their actual show though is straight out of a dance club. After listening to VNV Nation, one might assume they would have an elaborate light show to accompany their specific brand of synthpop, but such is not the case. There’s a simple light production behind Harris, Jackson, and the two touring keyboardists. A lot of bands similar to VNV Nation would askew simplicity and ramp up the light show at a concert like this to really overwhelm the audiences’ senses. Instead VNV Nation kept it to one backdrop of moderate lights that would flash and pulsate sparsely.
This sets them apart from their contemporaries a good deal. Where most bands would concentrate on making a spectacle of their show, VNV Nation is clearly more concerned with getting their message across than overcompensating with a concert doubling as a light show.
The deft touch with the few lights though does enhance the wall of sound created by Jackson and the two touring keyboardists. They fill the air and space behind Harris, rarely relenting with a strong back beat and swirling synth sound. Harris for his part doesn’t stop either, always moving with a purpose and energy, even when he’s not singing his ever positive message with his deliberate vocal delivery.
Harris’ vocal approach is every bit as important as Jackson’s synthpop/techno production. Both elements enhance the self reliant, soul searching, and unifying nature of their songs cutting to the very core of VNV Nation. Their music on its own would be well and good, but there’s a sense it would be hollow to both primary band members if there was little to no meaning behind their songs, especially if that meaning didn’t put the audience in a positive frame of mind.
Everything VNV Nation does during their show is with a purpose. They see the world in specific light, and their music is the vehicle to express that. It might be bit more of niche market outside of Europe, but the message still has as much meaning here as anywhere else.
Stephen Bradley is an avid music listener. Read more of his work in Riffs at the Washington Times Communities.
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