German ambient jazz ensemble BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE returned to Finland after a prolonged absence, gracing the stage of Savoy Teatteri in Helsinki on March 22nd, 2024. The band’s performance was in support of their recent release, “Patchouli Blue,” marking a significant return to the music scene amidst the pandemic. The sold-out event promised an evening of dark jazz, drawing in enthusiasts for an immersive musical experience.
Prior to the show, the venue buzzed with anticipation as attendees gathered. Thankfully, the adjacent restaurant accommodated many of these attendees, with some enjoying drinks before the show. Ten minutes before the promised start time, the doors to the stage area were opened, allowing us to find our seats a bit earlier, which was a welcome convenience.
We have known the band for several years and have eagerly awaited the opportunity to hear their music live. However, we didn’t know what to expect from the show. When the band took the stage, it was shrouded in darkness, necessitating the use of flashlights to find their positions. Savoy Teatteri had been transformed into a low-key jazz club for the occasion. The band opted for a minimalist stage production, featuring a spinning drum snare illuminated with light. The stage was adorned with the array of instruments one would expect from a jazz band, including keyboards, drums, guitars, double bass, a vibraphone, and a saxophone.
The band kicked off their set with “Prowler,” instantly setting the right mood for the evening. It was impressive to see how these songs were translated live. The three musicians were multitasking, with the piano/guitar player equipped with a hi-hat that he had to control with a pedal at the correct time. Even the double bass player had some drum duties throughout the show. The saxophonist occasionally traded his sax for the vibraphone. With their diverse skills, they truly created an enthralling and immersive experience.
In between songs, saxophonist Christoph Clöser took the lead in addressing the audience. It’s funny that I hadn’t considered up to that point that the band might interact with the audience, so I was pleasantly surprised when it happened. Clöser, despite seeming shy at first, proved to be quite entertaining. He embraced his quirks and often engaged in playful banter with the audience during his speeches. This became evident from his first interaction with the audience when he humorously poked fun at the reserved Finnish crowd, even “accidentally” addressing them as Swedish.
Before introducing the title track of the new album, “Patchouli Blue,” which they played as the third song, he wanted to explain the song to the crowd. He mentioned that “Patchouli is an oil that smells like shit, and blue is blue. Sea. Sky. Blue,” which elicited a loud laugh from the audience because it felt unexpected. After “Patchouli Blue,” the band dove into “Verwirrung am Strand,” which Clöser dedicated to the bikini. He mentioned that it is called “Confusion at the Beach” in German, but not in Finnish, igniting some laughter from the audience once again.
After the stellar “Verwirrung am Strand,” which had a very cozy and relaxing vibe, it was time for the band to introduce a love song. Clöser mentioned that they have a lot of those because they believe in the power of love, but they couldn’t start the song yet because one of them went to the loo. Apparently, he does this at every show, sometimes early, sometimes late, and this time he opted to go at an early stage of the set. Clöser continued with his nonsense speech, joking that we might have read in the news that the band was actually sent by the German government to thank the Finns for joining NATO. He then mentioned they were planning to play “Komm zurück zu mir,” a pretty dark song for a love song, but oh so good.
Throughout their setlist, the band continued with much humor and delight, playing their soothing jazz noir melodies. It almost felt a little sad that we weren’t able to enjoy this show in a smoky jazz club in Chicago, but I guess that Savoy Teatteri in Helsinki was the next best thing. When the band announced their last song, it was again very funny. They announced it would be their last song, and then Clöser went on to say that it was a fantastic evening for them, but he didn’t sound super enthusiastic, so everybody started laughing instantaneously. He then said that’s what they say every night on the tour, but that today it’s true, really true. He mentioned that he said the same thing in Stockholm last night, but it was a lie. It was not bad, but that we should know our neighbors better than them, which gave him all the confirmation he needed. He said the atmosphere today was totally different and that they were in a good mood, which is very abnormal. Normally they are in a bad mood, but on March 22nd, peaceful Helsinki made them believe in a better world. He then went on to say that a better world needs more of their music, so they will play their last song now, but then play three encores before they disappear. He mentioned that he’d make it easy for us though because the stage is so dark, they can’t find their way back, so they’ll stay on stage, come a little closer, thank us, and then just start playing the encores. This then happened, and after that, the three encores that were promised were a beautiful conclusion to the evening. Realistically, he also made a joke about there being too much light on stage and then paused until the lighting engineer dimmed the lights again.
Altogether, this was a beautiful evening filled with moody dark jazz that was played in a stellar way. We only hope that it takes less time for the band to make their way to the Finnish stages again. With their mesmerizing performance and engaging humor, it was truly an unforgettable experience, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating their next visit.
Written by Laureline Tilkin
