On August 28th, 2024, we headed to Effenaar in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, to catch the show of U.S. “transcendental black metal” band LITURGY, supported by the talented post-black metal act LASTER. The atmosphere in Eindhoven was buzzing, with new university students flooding the streets to party. In contrast, the cozy kleine zaal (small hall) of Effenaar provided an intimate setting for this night of live music.
When the Utrecht-based trio LASTER began to play, the crowd seemed a bit reserved. However, the band’s performance gradually warmed them up, focusing on their latest release, “Andermans Mijne.” Having seen LASTER a few months earlier at Roadburn, we already knew how captivating they are live, with the added mystery of the bird-skull half masks hiding their identities. After this pleasant warm-up, while the crowd began to grow in number, it was LITURGY’s turn to entertain their Dutch audience. The band, led by Ravenna Hunt-Hendrix, experienced a few technical glitches that didn’t faze the most dedicated fans standing in awe in front of the stage. The contrast between the more melodic parts and the aggressive, more violent bursts in the band’s set gradually drew fans closer.
The set almost felt too short, but the early showtimes played a part in that, allowing plenty of time for people to chat at the merch stand or head out to the next event—especially convenient for those traveling from out of town who needed to get back at a decent hour before work the next day. Ultimately, it was a very chill and intimate evening—not a big crowd, but surely a dedicated few left the venue with big smiles on their faces.
LASTER
LITURGY
Photos by Marco Manzi
