FAUST @ JAZZ CAFE, LONDON

The German experimental noise rock group with a lineup made up of mostly French musicians and led by founding member Jean-Herve Peron (bass, trumpet, psaltery), returned following their last London show two years ago.

Formed of Jeanne-Marie Varain (vocals, percussion), Amaury Cambuzat (guitar), Olaf Koep (drums, glockenspiel), Ronny Woods (electronics) and Pierre Chevalier (keyboard), FaUSt began on ‘Morning Land’: the beating heart rhythm with organ keys, strains of guitar and an electronic sample interval, before the angry chant continued; Peron operating a pedal for his bass.

‘Knochentanz’ saw Peron on trumpet against a hi-hat bass drumbeat, oriental keyboard and tambourine, built to a noise frenzy then coming to a screetching halt. The group had an ‘interlude’ period of tracks that quietened things down, which Peron said was about “violence and solitude”. They proceeded to perform the melodic ‘The Sad Skinhead’, with Peron playing classical guitar amongst floating glockenspiel, going into the light sparkle of the French lyrics of ‘Psalter’, with the track ending in a series of claps against the piano.

A band of contrasts, then came the panicky screams of ‘Impro’ on a darkened stage, with actual live sparks and the smell of burning rubber that followed, displaying the group’s multi-sensual hunger for enthralling and ever-changing live experiences, it descending into whistling electronic feedback. FaUSt went straight into the hysterical laughs of Peron’s daughter, Jeanne-Marie, with clumsy piano keys and percussive jangling in the spooky ‘Harlequin’. They finished their main set on the frequencies and psaltery strings of ‘Tony’ and then ‘Schempal’; the latter with Jeanne-Marie using a megaphone.

11/04/23: Faust @ Jazz Cafe, London.