For the Love of Godcaster
A concert review of Godcaster at Golden Dagger by Justice Petersen
Friday night at Chicago’s Golden Dagger felt like a weird fever dream. It was a cold and rainy night after a long week, and the evening was filled with a strange energy. Artistic rock group Godcaster solidified this unexplained vibe from the universe with unparalleled eccentricity, fuzzy guitars, and unbridled energy.
Godcaster is a lively group of six, consisting of Judson Kolk [vocals, guitar], Bruce Ebersole [guitar, bass], Von Kolk [guitar, vocals], David McFaul [keyboard], Sam Pickard [drums] and Jan Fontana [bass]. Every member harmonizes with one another perfectly, creating music that is pristine yet tumultuous.
Their music will taunt your mind no matter how you listen to it, but to truly understand Godcaster, one must watch them perform their music live, where every member can clearly be seen not just playing the music but living it with their entire bodies and souls.
The band opened with “Diamond’s Shining Face”, the opening track off their self-titled album recently released on March 10. They played through several other notable songs off the album, such as “Albino Venus” and “Didactic Flashing Antidote”.
“Didactic Flashing Antidote”, a nearly ten-and-a-half-minute song, is repetitious and hypnotizing, much like most of the music that Godcaster creates. Reminiscent of The Doors, Godcaster writes loud and buzzy psychedelic art rock, as though The Stooges decided to create ten-minute-long jam songs. Whether or not you know their songs before seeing them, you’ll find yourself moving your head along to the music and humming the songs long after the show has ended.
Before going on stage, members of the band either stood in the crowd or sat with one another at a booth watching the opening bands, Ted Tyro and Patter. The band seemed somewhat reserved and calm as they enjoyed the performances; nobody would have predicted the electrifying way in which they put the entire room into a trance just minutes later.
Godcaster delivers what may be described as orchestrated noise. Their music is cacophonous, sounding like mysterious cult music, or what may be played at a meeting for devout followers of Dionysus. Once Godcaster graced the stage, everyone in the venue gravitated closer to them as though they were under a spell.
Godcaster performs as though they’re in this world but not of it. As they play like they’re teaching listeners some new religion, Godcaster’s aesthetics, behaviors, and music seems like it’s been pulled out of some 1970s underground club performance. It’s psychedelic, dreamy, and sweaty. They’re weird, but they are so casually and confidently weird that it makes complete sense.
It seemed the one to lead the band through their soft parade was Judson Kolk. Screaming into the microphone and contorting his body like the lovechild of Iggy Pop, Jim Morrison, and Mick Jagger, he performed with the energy of every significant bandleader in rock and roll. He would walk off stage and into the crowd and they parted like the red sea for him. He slithered his way through the masses like a snake, carrying his guitar like it was a weapon.
As the music continued to play in a slow and steady rhythm, he would sporadically stomp on the floor as though squashing a bug. He knocked over the microphone stand and waltzed through people like an exotic bird showing off his wings.
His personality is a reflection of Godcaster’s music: experimental and unpredictable. At one point he dragged his body along the floor, belting the words to the song. Through it all, the band played their harmonious and provoking jam.
Von Kolk sang “Pluto Shoots His Gaze Into the Sun”, a softer piece from Godcaster’s catalog. Singing high soprano vocals over acoustic guitar, Von also walked offstage and into the crowd as well. While Judson was mercurial, Von was peaceful and serene. She shielded her eyes from the disco ball, as though the sparkle hurt her eyes. When she sang, it sounded something in between crying and a siren luring men at sea. While they are opposites in delivery, both Judson and Von are ethereal.
Godcaster creates music that is to be experienced by all the senses, not just audial. With their echoing guitars, passionate vocals, poetic lyrics, and commanding presence, Godcaster will put you in a trance and keep you there for some time.
Godcaster’s self-titled album is out now.
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Links:
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