Adventures in the (Pagan) Underground

“In the presence of a moment divine, As the shadows gather at the shrine, We retreat and advance, In the spell of the dance, Familiars all, Tonight” – “Sovereign” by Faith and the Muse

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of attending a concert featuring Faith and the Muse, a seminal darkwave band who’ve long enjoyed an ardent Pagan following for their songs that explore mythology, nature, and the sacred experience. I wasn’t planning on doing a formal write-up of the show, but what I experienced was so liminal, so ritualistic, and in the sense that I understand it, “pagan”, that I felt I would be remiss in not sharing my impressions so that others might not miss the opportunity to experience it for themselves as the tour stretches across America.

Let me begin by saying that I came in expecting a great show. I’ve heard some amazing things about Faith and the Muse live, and the pre-show DJing by Chicago/German promoter Scary Lady Sarah (who’s touring with the band), as well as the short set by recently formed opening local band Splendor and the Resistance, who show a lot of potential, had made me optimistic about the main event. But what I ended up experiencing wasn’t so much a great “rock show”, but a 3-hour musical ritual that invoked the powers of nature. This became clear as the second opening act, Soriah, who’s opening for all of Faith and the Muse’s Pacific Northwest dates, came onto the stage.

It wasn’t so much a concert set, but a full-blown shamanistic ritual art experience. Melding Tuvan throat-singing, smoke, incense, incantations, and ornate costume with guitar/keyboard soundscapes crafted by Trance to the Sun veteran Ashkelon Sain. It not only affirmed that I made the right decision in making Soriah and Sain’s album “Atlan” one of my top picks for 2009, but also put the audience on notice that this was now a holy venture, and that we were standing on holy ground.

That theme, the ritual if you will, was carried to the next stage by a short butoh performance introduction by the fusion bellydance duet of Serpentine, who describe themselves as “temple dancers of the serpent mythos”, and who are an integrated part of Faith and the Muse’s live experience for their “Ankoku Butoh” tour. Then the band came on stage and converted all doubters and hangers-on to the unique power of William Faith and Monica Richard’s musical and artistic vision.

In addition to Serpentine, who performed alongside, and in once instance, walked the perimeters of the venue with smoking cauldrons of incense, the band featured a taiko drummer, a string section, and two guitar players. Effortlessly moving between old and new songs, between Eastern and Western conceptions of the sacred, of songs that sang of ruin and hopeful rebirth, of solidarity and being true to who you are. By the end of the show, the entire crowd, whether they had come to see Faith and the Muse or not, were pounding their feet clamoring for an encore. It was an event, that like any true otherworld experience, no Youtube video or photo can properly capture.

From time to time there is talk as to what a modern “Pagan music” would sound like, and we are often ready to throw laurels at the feet of any singer-songwriter or band willing to cater to our tastes and attend our festivals. However, I have long felt that the vibrant sacred music of today, the creative force that speaks to the Pagan soul, isn’t necessarily seeking our attention, or longing to  attend our conventions. They are instead sending their message, and sharing their sacred works, with those who go to the trouble of seeking them out. They are in the underground, playing at clubs, rented halls, or even massive multi-band European festivals, but ignored by most critics and media outlets. They are singing and performing for those willing to step outside of the boundaries and labels so craved by those hoping to capitalize on a “scene” or “subculture”.

The modern Pagan music, the music of sacred nature, old gods, myth, reverence, and rebirth is out there, and some of us lucky searchers have found it. Though the artists I describe would most likely never label it “Pagan” for our easy consumption, nor fit into our own narrow ideas of what form the sacred musics should take, they are indeed speaking to us if we will listen. I hope you will listen too.

For more of my own explorations of underground music that speaks to the Pagan soul, please check out my radio show/podcast A Darker Shade of Pagan. You may also want to check out my top 10 albums for 2009.