| Sophia - Oct. 28 `97: Le Café Julien, Marseille (F) |
| Review Robin's words have haunted me for years, since the release of GOD MACHINE's "Scenes...", therefore this gig - on a sweet evening in october - was the occasion to meet the man whose words touch me so deeply. I guess I'm not the only one to feel this way but, as for you all, I like to think my story is unique. "Le Café Julien" is a small venue, very intimate, with a very personal setting for the band. After all, CHOKEBORE played there and it had not let them down. I'm sorry about the supporting band, the only thing I am able to recall from their performance is the impatience... The band, SOPHIA, comes in, they all smile like newcomers. They play a handful of exhausting songs. Exhausting because of their communal nature, because of the depth of SOPHIA's music and the poignancy of Robin's words; because this music - naked live music - and those words like tortured souls, like ghosts, all seem brought to life, they seem flesh and blood when played live. And the words, even with Robin's live fragile and sometimes ragged voice, the words work! For stupid reasons like shame, I did not let tears show, but I can remember that ‘So slow’, ‘If only’ and ‘The sea’ were like pearls of naked emotion. I am sure all SOPHIA gigs are like this one, that's why they are few and scarce. I use to say the music I like to listen to renders the same emotions human beings should offer each other... But human beings are in a hurry (nobody knows for what ?) and their attention can be cursory. I then, look for emotions in music, and SOPHIA is exactly what I've always looked for: life itself. No matter what form their music takes, folk, bluesy, rock, indie, what matters is that Robin brings it to life. After the gig I talked to Robin. He recognized me because I had asked for an interview, and had been asking for ages. He apologized for not replying to my messages... "I am a bastard", he said. I guess he's right, he spends his time writing songs about self-indulgence. He is a man. A human. Too much so. That's why we love your music, pal. It's okay that I don't yet have an interview, I have your lyrics... Calhoun Mooney (http://agitato.free.fr) |