Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Ljubljana / Studio 14 (RTV SLO) / Slovenia
Concert date: 14.09.2015
Attendance: 200
Ticket price: €0.00 (free entry!)
Niet! A word that stirs up especially intense feelings on the Slovenian rock scene. The quintet of Borut Marolt (vocals), Igor Dernovšek (guitar), Robert Likar (guitar), Janez Brezigar (bass) and Tomaž Bergant (drums) quietly made a new album. Their first real studio album in five years, since “13” (2010) came out. In peace and quiet, and reportedly in Ankaran. With little to no promo hype or announcements. Surrounded by the people they can trust most, of course. Friends, that is. Which is also how the album got its title. »V bližini ljudi«.
Meanwhile, over at Radio Slovenija they were saying goodbye to good old Studio 14, which is slated for a complete overhaul. Niet’s show and the presentation of the new album also turned out to be the last gig by any act in the legendary Studio 14! That Studio 14, as we know and remember it.
I made it to the venue at the very last minute. You know how parking is in the middle of Ljubljana these days. A horror show. The band hit the stage as announced. At exactly 8:00 p.m. No stage lighting. They probably have more of it at rehearsals in Jevnica! But that’s Niet for you! Perfectly fitting for the pissed-off punk attitude the band has cultivated since forever. And a smart tactic against the heat that white spotlights give off, too! The place was packed to the rafters. So the heat was on! One way or another! In every form!
The band had an incredibly powerful sound throughout the whole set. Behind the mixing desk stood our good old acquaintance, the rock-solid sound engineer Boban Bursač, whom the band authorized to crank the guitars up to the max. So a few times the guitars “needlessly” squealed with feedback, but the crowd was nowhere near bothered. The new album grabs you, after all. It’s musical. Again. A Niet trademark, of course. And it’s no news that it’s punk-minded too. As it should be. Loaded with rock essence, a sharp attitude and theatrical poetry of (mostly) gloomy outlooks. No keyboards this time. None at all. So the veteran of all Slovenian rock veterans, Borut Činč, wasn’t on stage. Nor in the crowd. No surprise there.
The band played the new album more than confidently, no doubt about it. About 40 minutes into the set, the last note of the last song on the new album rang out, and then the guys carried on with the proper live show, spicing up the repertoire with classics like Februar, Ruski vohun, Vijolice and, of course, the closer Lep dan za smrt. A demanding high point for the night, then. The crowd was thrilled, and the guys, as expected, totally won the room. The new album was launched successfully. The new »Niet album« is effectively chasing the tail of its predecessor »13« (2010)! Its musicality and its true-blue rock devotion will surely hand the crowd a dozen new album favorites and, by extension, live favorites. Now everybody go grab your copy of the new Niet album, quick!
Setlist
1. V bližini ljudi
2. Pejt že stran
3. Rad imam dež
4. Mislila sva, da nama bo uspelo
5. Ogledalo
6. Oprosti mi
7. Vse je zaman
8. O, gospod, o, gospa
9. Nebo nad Ljubljano
10. V stanju zanikanja
11. Vidim rdeče
12. Ona ne spi (revolucija)
13. Žiletka
14. Slike z vašega pogreba
—encore I.—
15. Ritem človeštva
16. Tvoje oči
17. Dekle izza zamreženega okna
18. Februar
—encore II.—
19. Vijolice
20. Ruski vohun
21. Lep dan za smrt
Photo gallery
