08-03-2008 Headfake

Date: 08-03-2008, venue: De Kade, Zaandam (Netherlands)
By: Sabine van Gameren

One of the things I had on my ‘to do list’ was visiting a drum and bass concert. To break out of the circle of visiting genres I normally do and experience other things as well. When the opportunity came to me to visit Headfake, I was still a little hold back, realizing that I actually did not know that much about drum and bass. The announcement of Max Silja as guest performer made me step off the line of doubts. Max Silja is a cellist which is known because he played in the cello metal band Apocalyptica in the past. Nowadays he plays in the band Hevein and he worked with famous ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen just to mention a few of his projects.

Headfake makes jungle drum and bass. Jungle makes use of more complex rhythms than ordinary drum and bass, which puts more stress on dance aspects. Headfake is Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun. These two are known from Living Colour
a band which proved their name already since the mid 80’s.

When I entered the venue there was a DJ playing some music to get us already in the right mood. Unfortunately the venue was not really filled and it would not be filled at all. After one hour the Headfake made its entrance. They started with some calm songs. Cellist Max Silja was on the stage from the first song on. The band makes use of many electronic effects which makes their music interesting enough to keep on watching. During the set, all the band members had their solo moments. After Doug Wimbish introduced “the Max factor” to the audience the spotlights went all on Max for his solo part. I have seen many, many bands in different genres which make use of a cello in their music, but here I was nailed to the floor watching this amazing piece of music. With the use of all the effects there was something magical on this. I really liked it!

As being told by the band, this was only their second gig in this setting. It was visible that the band did not do this too many times before by the way they communicate with each other and participating on what the other did. When the others also played their solo, we got one last song and after that the band left.

Headfake managed to keep my interest, with their many effects and the complex rhythms which come with the jungle genre. Compared with the music played by the dj before the gig and what I heard after the gig, I guess this complexity is the power of the band.