After seeing VNV Nation at KOKO in October 2011 I had some really high expectations for their gig at the Purple Turtle. For those who don’t know the Purple Turtle in Camden, it’s a much smaller, more intimate venue than KOKO. When questioned as to why they wanted to play a gig there, lead singer Ronan said that it used to be one of his regular haunts and he wanted to do something “Punk as fuck” a sentiment I definitely applaud.
This gig was slightly different in that the audience (or anyone online) got to choose the set list by e-mailing the band a selection of their 3 favourite VNV songs where the most voted made the set list. This would have been a great idea if it wasn't for a few funny fuckers who had no intention of turning up to the actual gig but still wanted to select some of the more obscure songs… this resulted in a couple of songs where the audience were shuffling awkwardly and seemed a bit disconnected from the band.
Slightly over mid-way through and both the audience and band were starting to wilt. Whether it was the heat given off in the venue (it reached sauna like temperatures), the obscure songs or the sheer fact that the Monday morning work load was approaching with impending doom but the audience just didn’t seem to be getting into it. Even well-known songs like “Control”, “Illusion” and “Nemesis” seemed to receive a lacklustre reaction. Ronan even called down from the stage to ask if the audience were still awake!
Despite this the boys kept going, and they kept their spirits and banter up. They played well and consistently but the party atmosphere I had enjoyed at a previous gig was lacking. They ended their show with several encores the last one being “Perpetual” There was a mass of voices singing the chorus “Let there be, let there always be never ending light.” It was good that the audience rallied to end the show on a high.
Eleanor Knight
