MK9 gig in Vilnius – PE mission done.

Though enough time had passed from the day (22 April) the "MK9" aka "Death Squad" performance took place in Vilnius, "Autarkeia" is still restless about to announce the statement on this gig arranged by "INTRO" club, which triggered such emotional conflicts among the "industrial"-minded people, and my personal speculations about the local, that is Baltic, "underground" culture and all circulating homunculi in it were improved with valuable information. I cordially admit that none of the previously arranged gigs I happened to visit before made such a respectful impact on making certain conclusions. As it came to the end, I felt a sort of cross-lighting. Forestalling the events, I must confess I was an idealist before speculating that Lithuanian "underground" audience is certainly great, open-minded people able to evaluate every topical question assigned to this subculture by slipping the trap of stereotypes. Unfortunately, after the provocative performance of "MK9" I’ve realized that this is just an illusion. Now everything in turn.

One night I was accessed by the well-known homunculus stating that "INTRO" club is going to invite the famous "noise" artist – "MK9". The project name was unknown. So I thought "INTRO" had simply free booked one more lop-top pseudo-noise looser unacknowledged in the West with the intention to work on him. But then I found out who was hiding under the name of "MK9". It was completely new clone of the world’s famous "power electronics" project "Death Squad", the best-known performer of the extreme music in the western coast of the USA. Besides, as there was only week left, I saw Michael Nine’s gig in Berlin, so I realized the extent of risk that "INTRO" was going to have for its traditional lithuanian attitude concerning the organization of performances and at the same time, for making total shit and throwing suspicion on the other Baltic organizers within the community of "power electronics". For this never to happen, I decided to provide free consulting of "INTRO" organizers concerning the better show arrangement, still my goodwill was failed. Kaunas city residents who was also keen on organizing the "MK9" show in their city, after the longstanding talks by e-mail, refused to invite the American even when he had agreed to play free. More over, some Latvian "zinemaker" who was contacting Michael simply delayed the delivering of information about the artist request to play for the serious organizers of "industrial" performances in Riga. So, he came to Vilnius with the particular view about the level of the local (Baltic) organizers. I reckon that despite of all efforts made to change this opinion, "INTRO" enhanced this impression on 100 percent that day. Total chaos in the club hall, the equipment failed, the artist request on sound-check disregarded, outsiders constantly disturbing the performance works – only a few reasons why there was no need to play for the local audience. The culmination of this chaos could be seen when in the presence of slacking staff and attendees, in the surrounding of the low-level pop music, me and Michael were forced to carry out seats, tables and chairs by ourselves. Though we were repeatedly asking to do this for "INTRO" staff, we didn’t receive any help.

So specifically we felt about the guys from "Siempre No", as I was responsible for their booking. A week left these guys agreed to play with so much fervour as they refused one day left. I’m urged to deliver special thanks to McKaras who is likely the only one reliable all over the Lithuanian "underground" world. He agreed not merely to fill the hole of "Siempre No", but also performed the music programme of the highest quality, which, I suppose, would be interesting for both, the local dancers and the whole world.

The performance was late for 2 hours. "INTRO" club was left by the most impatient attendees. Only after the ultimate "no", "INTRO" persons eventually connected two broken "subs" and the nauseous pop music then could be replaced by the stronger one. A certain Latvian persona famed in a very specific way (commitment of thievery in Lithuania) wrote about this: "Atrax Morgue, Brighter Death Now, Genocide Organ – nothing new". Actually, I had no intentions to deliver something new to the public. I mixed everything I liked. Still I’m asking: how many Lithuanians or Latvians know the same Atrax Morgue, Brighter Death Now? I’m sure that not much. And how many people have bought at least one original CD? As far as I remember, the said persona who was charging me for the lack of originality badgered to copy such music to the CDR not long time ago.

After the cutting starter-mix, McKaras performed his new 30 minutes’ program. Usually I ignore his "techno" performances as I don’t like this style. Still that night McKaras uplifted the show spirit and both I and the audience were involved in the super audio-video show. Wearing the uniform of the SS tankman, showing the severe war documentary about the Staliningrad attacked by the Germans, McKaras started from the very drastic "noise", the impression of which at first was similar to the highest-quality sound hybrid of "CCCC" and "HydraHead9" and at the same time it was deeply unique. Having terrorised the audience with the cutting sounds, McKaras structurized the sound that free people to dance into the hard rhythm of Ant-Zen groups, which organically transformed to the driving electronic "drone ambient". I saw the whole performance and it deeply impressed me.

Michael Nine was preparing his "message" for a few hours. He was sitting somewhere in the darkness of the hall and tried not to communicate with anybody. Once I heard about the pre-show "training" peculiar to the American "power electronics" artists. This time I happened to follow it personally. Show started by the broadcasting of the USA national anthem and the wide-waving of the national flag at the both screens of video background. Michael kneeled in two meters from the audience, encroached into his palms and swung slowly. I had an opportunity to communicate with this person few days before the gig. Therefore I know the extent of shame and hurt experienced by him when living in the USA. In state unequalled by the extent of crimes to the world. Someone in the hall began to whistle. It is hard to say this was dedicated to "MK9" or USA national anthem or flag. Soon everything changed. You could see G. W. Bush embracing with the Arabian sheikhs in the background and hear the distorted Arabic tunes in the violent music set. Oil, war, criminals and victims. When seeing the Iraq war documentary ignored by the world ruling criminals and showing disabled children and stack of corpses, all the mentioned were passing by one’s eyes. The third part of the short "MK9" performance started by the documentary sights from San Francisko. The wide-range anti-war demonstrations and methods used by the local and federal police in order to neutralize them. There were holes in their bodies yawning from the rubber bullets, bruising from the sticks – fairly the street wars. In the lighting of this background Michael was running around the hall, screaming at everyone’s face: "That’s how the face of democracy looks like! That is the USA! Stop laughing, now is your turn!" The silence settled over the audience. Some of them were definitely shocked by the seen. More over, as far as I know, they just saw the pictures never shown neither by the USA nor by the world mass media. The last video accent was the crudest. Those who were present saw the documentary pictures about how the civilian Iraqi were shot from the military helicopter of the USA. The wondering groans rippled through the hall. And one interesting thing – people standing nearby and commenting how dreadful these things are were namely the males.

Though the performance lasted for no longer than 20 minutes, everybody was touched, as usual to "MK9". This was proved by the feedback of the performance I happened to read and to hear. Some were insisting that this was more politics than art, some were moaning about nothing beautiful happened and one girl indicated the reason for she didn’t like the "MK9" performance: nothing new and everything known. So accordingly, all these things would be more actual to the American audience. To me, personally, all these weeps looked like the harangues of the stuffed Americans and lazy Europeans guiding only by the media-formed stereotypes. I was not responsible for the organization of this gig. And I have no grounds to justify the performance, but still I have a right to my personal opinion as the attendee of "MK9".

Obviously the main purpose of art is to impact, and the measures are not so important. I am still thinking that all measures can be applied in achieving the aim. So is there any reason for not considering the art as attitude, as information about politics or even as policy by itself? Who set the limits? Otherwise, this would be a censorship. "Power electronics" is one of the most brutal forms of art, always looking for the most actual and shocking samples and disregarding the audience in everything. In most cases, this form of art is simply the forthright information delivering the amplified, sharp, thus hardly acceptable interpretation aimed at attacking and involving into the action the passive listener. For that reason, the stereotype-minded people are always disappointed when they are forced to disclose the unusual spheres of knowledge. I suppose the highest discontent with "MK9" performance was because most received such information they didn’t expect to. Instead of the abstract, safe "noise", they heard modified sounds of social reality, penetrated with strict, direct ideology, the basis of which consisted of straight informational shocking. Passive, stereotype-minded Lithuanian conformists were definitely not prepared for such therapy (besides, they were less comparing with those who, i.e. were packed at the boring but highly pushed gig of the ended Masami Akita aka "Merzbow"). I am certain that nowadays, like always, the true art is an opposition to the mainstream formed by the official mighty propaganda. Therefore the true art can not escape from being political criticism against propaganda. It can not escape neither from being straight and brutal information, the keystone of which lays on the truth and reality having nothing much common with the usually sentimentally perceived beauty. I do not believe that truth and reality can be thought by some lazy and coward conformist, especially the one with specific lithuanian mentality. The latter will likely get the "MK9" "message" only at knife-point of some Arabian, as the Lithuanian army was also involved in the Iraq occupational process. There is some doubt as to whether the uncle Sam will be able to compensate his family. I could notice in behalf of those disappointed about the "MK9" gig that their knowledge of "power electronics" culture are nearly poor and they simply fell into the trap of the well-planned provocation. Same as those people who formerly visited the "Whitehouse" gigs where fight usually started in fifteen minutes. Concerning those Lithuanian "underground" scene players who pretend of digging it – none of them was there. I saw only Mr. Baras who was honestly sleeping during the half of performance as he was drunk. But with the sound of ravening background of "MK9" he awoke and swearing in English started to get wild. By the way, Baras missed his "Death Squad" CD which he brought for the autograph. Hopefully he lost it. Otherwise, this would characterize the audience twice over.

Written by Lashisha, translated by Ruta Muller, 2004-07-19