Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Venue: Orto bar / Ljubljana / Slovenia
Concert date: 09.04.2009
Attendance: 70
Ticket price: 10,00€
In springtime, when gigs are raining down and things are generally buzzing “like crazy”, or in other words, when the sun is pulling us outside, into action, into that constant “movement”, it often happens that you don’t even have time to plan who, what, how, why,… and, bombarded with information lurking from every direction, you just follow your nose. So one day, in the late afternoon hours, the options for spending the evening start lining up. And then it happens that, suspecting nothing, you land at the Da Phenomena gig with zero calculation, part of this year’s Orto Fest.
I remember my first encounter with this duo of lads, who are steadily turning into men, at the Christmas Rock Festival 2006 in Postojna, when Dagi, pale as ice and feeling extremely unwell, barely made it to the end of the set. Even then, though, the two guys fascinated. This time: Orto Bar. Joined by “Jurček” – Jure Rozman – as a trio. Tried and tested.
Orto Bar was surprisingly less packed than you’d expect, considering that Da Phenomena are hardly an unknown name in Slovenia. Even though Mate mentioned during the show that he hadn’t played in a long time and, half-jokingly, didn’t hide his frustration, saying he probably wasn’t in the best live form because of it, the audience had no reason to complain that night. Over an hour and a half, the guys rattled off the bulk of the material from both studio albums, “Skupaj sva” and “dP”, plus a few covers that heated up the crowd even more.
Da Phenomena can boast a seriously powerful rhythm section, into which Mate’s expressive vocals and the organically smooth pop rock sound of his guitar strumming fit phenomenally. The journey on danceable funky grooves sent out a wave of relaxing positive vibes: on one side, the self-assured Mate held the crowd with his confident vocal approach, and on the other, the warm, dynamic, voluminous and active sound of Dagi’s bass guitar. None of this could have been felt so intensely without the reliable Jure, who gave the two guys an excellent rhythmic framework to sink their teeth into.
The trio made no secret of their big musical talent through the cheeky playfulness of their relaxed songs, which is why the use of backing tracks (vocal harmonies, extra guitar solos) was a bit surprising (and, to my taste, overdone). The trio on its own, with all its skill and talent, builds a rich sonic backdrop that would more than suffice to “get through” on stage even without the occasional extra recordings in the background. But that’s a matter of taste. Apparently, the streak of sonic perfectionism in Da Phenomena won’t let the two guys “skimp” in this department, even at live shows.
It’s also worth noting the flirtation with sound samples, which bassist Dagi coaxed out as special effect seasoning and which occasionally recalled the tricks of his great idol Doug Wimbish (Living Colour), who has also influenced much of the bass-playing style Dagi is developing.
Through renditions of the songs Rad tem imam (ne dovolj), Vse kar vem, Leva desna, Jočem, Yeah Baby, Nobeden, Phenomena, Nočem te nazaj, Pejdap, Skupaj sva, Punce fantje, Iznad neba, plus the Prince covers Purple Rain and Kiss and Time Bomb (Rancid), the two conjured up an event full of positive vibes. It had a soothing effect on this Thursday-in-the-middle-of-the-week, and for someone with a full plate of obligations who found themselves in their company that evening, it was easy to forget, at least for a moment, the pressure of an overstuffed daily schedule. They largely managed that with their own particular sense of humor too, which fits their live presence perfectly. The dynamic mood shifts felt great, especially in the newer songs, which like to “crash in” with the choruses, and where the two guys, otherwise hugely fond of an old-school dance ride through the suspension of funk, R&B and soul rhythmic undercarriage, finally showed a few rock-sharpened teeth as well.
Given this duo’s great musical and expressive insight, it would be a real shame if Da Phenomena, because of commitments playing with other musicians, were to slip into a phase of creative hibernation. In Orto Bar, Dagi and Mate proved an exceptional partnership in how they understand and express music, both tuned to the same frequency in how they perceive it. They communicate superbly on stage too, and the sound during the show itself was utterly fascinating, for which big thanks go to the former bassist of 2.2.2.7, Jani Mujič.
Another lovely musical evening of this year’s Ortofest is behind us, one that conjured up a mood of cheerfulness through a positive approach, which also reflects the philosophy of both Da Phenomena musicians: don’t complicate life, because often it’s best to surrender to the flow of feeling. And the flow of feeling is the foundation of a real funk vibe. And these two definitely get it.
photo: Aleš Podbrežnik
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