Liquid Diamonds

Liquid Diamonds are hard to find.


26. Januar 2013

Kirlian Camera & Dear Strange



Kirlian photography is a collection of photographic techniques developed in the 1930ies used to capture the phenomenon of electrical coronial discharges. Paramentalists use it to unveil the aura of human beings.

In their more than 30 years long history Italian cult electronic musicians Kirlian Camera transformed from a typical New Wave Synthie Pop Band like Soft Cell over Italo Disco to Gothic and Neo Folk.



Yesterday they played live in Krefeld, Kulturfabrik. I already had the chance to see them here two years ago and as this was great experience I decided to see them again.

Dear Strange, a dark wave pop project from Berlin, played as support act. They did not yet release any album, but you can listen to some tracks in the internet, here’s my favourite „Unicorn“ with a beautiful video.



Dear Strange‘s live performance was okay but not really overwhelming and they left the stage after 5 or 6 songs without any encore.

Then finally Kirlian Camera appeared masked with balaclavas which make them look like sound terrorists. Except for mastermind and found Angelo Bergamini and sexy ex-model and singer Elena Alice Fossi the current line up is completed with a bass and a guitar player. Violin player Sarah Crespi who joined the last tour obsiously left the band. Actually, from an artistic point of view it is not a big loss.

Although a number of technical sound problems overshadowed the live performance, Elena and Angelo bravely managed the communication with the audience in a a 10 minutes break and the crowd quickly regained their enthusiasm when say continued the performance. In the beginning Kirlian Camera played a number of songs from their new album which didn’t impress me too much. But Elena always manages to keep the attention on a high level. In the second half some of their greatest hits were played.

Eclipse is my personal favourite from their widely acclaimed second album Eclipse (Das Schwarze Denkmal) from 1988. I am happy, that Eclipse was played yesterday as well. Kirlian Camera are a great live band and never disappoint their fans.



Kirlian Camera - Eclipse (Lyrics) 

Watching those flowers burning out tonight
Screams and soft lovers, memories of a fight.
Slowly the clouds are fading into a cage,
While from my hands is falling another page...
Dreams and lost days are burning in the past,
Velvet black rays are drifting now so fast,
And in the great light I cannot see no more
Where is the right side, where is the golden door.
Mornings and colors are playing out of here,
Because I don't remember the memories of fear,
The aura of the moondawn is loosing her contours,
Sweet angels of heaven are missing their return.
Echoes of whispers so similar to paint,
Distant, so distant, like diamonds in the rain,
And if for a moment there lights are on your lips,
I know, there's no answer, but a wonderful eclipse.



I tried to make a picture of Elena’s aura with the Kirlian photo app on my smartphone, but it failed. However, if you ever see her live, you will find out that she is simply gorgeous.