Concert: Pharmakon

I was very much looking forward to Pharmakon's performance as support for the Swans at the Feierwerk in Munich. I do have both of her albums, and I'm quite fond of her take on Industrial, something we had attempted with Lyssa Humana in the 80s, but of course with less professionalism. I was not disappointed. Pharmakon's gig was expectedly short, but as intensive as possible. Her industrial sound was the mere background to her screams and chants, and several times she'd leave the stage and wander through the audience addressing individuals on a direct personal level. At first I hadn't noticed, but suddenly she stood there right in front of me! This gave the otherwise punishing poignancy of her music a much more intimate dimension, and as a spectator you realized that you actually were part of the act as well.