VNV Nation

First off, props to a band which regularly draws five times the capacity of the Waterfront for doing a UK tour which includes the absolutely tiny city of Norwich in the destination list. We didn't expect it, and neither did they, but it turned out to be an intimate and powerful gig.

As this was the Norwich stop of the Compendium tour, there were some classics and crowd-pleasers including Illusion, Gratitude and Radio and fewer rarities with only one track which I didn't know (if anyone knew it, it was played to a backdrop of orange and green lights and I'd be interested to find it again). There was a light show during 'Honor' in red, white and blue which - combined with the lyrics about 'standing alone' and 'what we are fighting for' - did, to me at least, hint enigmatically at Brexit, which wasn't surprising for a band who doesn't mind a bit of politics but disappointing as Norwich was a largely Remain area compared to the rest of Norfolk and the message was muddled.

Ronan was, as always, a showman and worked hard to get a tiny crowd going with lots of interaction and encouragement. I don't know if it was just a Wednesday night, I don't know if the hipsters at the back were just too cool for school (hint: guys, you can take your hats off indoors) or if we were just being too shy, but there was a distinct lack of the screams, lights and enthusiasm from the crowd that's expected at industrial/EBM. With exception to the Ravers in the corner near the front, who were doing their best to carry the crowd. 'Gratitude' did cause a mass hug-in on the other side of the floor from the Ravers, which was unusual but pleasant, and created a lot of goodwill with that side of the crowd.

If I have a complaint, it's that the band seemed incredibly rushed. Songs were belted out without that much of a break for drinks/a breather, and the grumpy security guard under the stage looked incredibly unimpressed with absolutely everything that was going on. The gig ended with a couple of wonderful encores (the crowd chanting 'VNV' and 'Thankyou' over and over was a highlight), but then finished abruptly without the meet-and-greet promised to German audiences of the same tour and the main lights thrown on within what felt like moments of VNV leaving the stage. Staff upon exit were unhelpful, the friendly bar people all disappeared and (upon running back in for my forgotten bag) quick with a sarcastic comment in my direction. This was entirely a problem with the venue, not the band, but the attitude sits in stark contrast with the usual love and attentiveness shown by VNV to their fans.

Ronan and Mark did take the time as they left the stage to shake hands with those at the front, which seemed to make Grumpy-Sec twitchy (good) but the adoring fans - me included - loved every minute of it.

As always, a positive glow comes from a VNV gig for a few days after and we can only hope the rubbishness of the Waterfront attitude wouldn't put them off from playing Norfolk/Suffolk again another time.

VNV Nation definitely knows how to put on a good show. Even in festival performances where sometimes bands hold back a little, they start off with a slow intro and some great lighting and effects. Once the music kicks into full gear, you can really the energy of the whole crowd and band combine, making for an awesome effect.

A lot of people were waving “lighters” (aka cell phones and glowsticks), which further added to the serene yet emotional experience. The perfect mix of the synth noises with the strong beats and soothing vocals really stood out even more in the live performance than any recording can accomplish.

The whole thing just felt surreal and every minute of it was enjoyable, it felt like a dream world that had me hooked from the start. It was really easy to appreciate that they were there for the fans and giving it their all, not just going through the motions to collect money and sell product.

They definitely played up the crowd between songs, but it almost was not even necessary because everyone was so into the music that the energy level never dropped. Ronan Harris, the lead singer, was definitely the star of the show and it was a pleasure to see him in person.

Having seen VNV Nation several times before, I knew to expect an excellent show and I was not disappointed in the least. iVardensphere opened and although I was bored at first, found him to be listenable.I was all ready when they took the stage for their Automatic Empire show at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans. Their performance was excellent and consisted of , as the title implies , songs from their "Automatic" and "Empires" albums.
The crowd was a little slow to warm when VHV took the stage but that quickly changed . By the end of the night everyone was charged and dancing. If they are coming your way I suggest you get a ticket as soon as you can. You will not be sorry.

I drove up to Austin from San Antonio to check VNV Nation. It was a great show and turned out to be their first stop on their US tour. I still miss seeing Mr. Mark Jackson on drums but the supporting bandmates were really good. Ronan was fun as always but in really good spirits. He didn't get piss drunk and didn't get when there were some technical glitches. He really enjoyed himself - even offered a free meet & greet afterwards. Definitely a fun show. Worth the drive up.

Fantastic show. Ronan is an incredible performance artist. He had the crowd fully engaged and participating. It made for a very moving experience. Dissapointed in not having Mark Jackson as percussionist, I'm assuming that he is working on a different project at this time.

The venue (The Shelter) was good, but the in house sound quality really was substandard. Other than that we were very pleased and look forward to their next tour.

VNV NATION last night was "Amazing". The band kept everyone dancing and jumping. Ronan very much interacted with the public.They played most of the songs from the newest album Noir. Everyone was so happy to be there!! The venue "The Garage" was very good. Great sound system, lights and lasers and the stage was quite high to appreciate the whole band. Plenty security, so no nonse!! Can't wait to see them again.

We were there to see Holygram, and they were excellent!!!!!! Vnv has a positive message and you could tell the people in the audience were very touched by their music ! Great showman, seem like a sweetheart of a person with a great band -
The rain within did a pretty decent job too! Hard to be a one-man band I’m sure especially as the opener, since the crowd seems dead for the first two shows !

One of the best shows ever! One of the most underrated bands ever created. Their music is emotionally charged and exhilarating. They will leave you wanting more after every show. The venue however could be improved upon. I'm speaking of Gas Monkey Live. Crappy service and overpriced drinks.

It was a wonderful evening. A concert full of breathtaking moments, power, force and emotions. And over all was this incredible feeling that everyone (Ronan, Diorama and of course the orchestra) love what they do.

A symphonic mixture of the best VNV songs.

Best concert ever!!! This guys are really musicians and the music they play is very unique. Liked very much the messages about hope, happiness, peace, save the world, become better person, live better with less, achieve your dreams, effort etc...