Almost six years ago to the day, one of the best and certainly most promising alternative bands to grace the Maltese music scene called it a day. The loss of a band that had, in the space of a few years, garnered a loyal following and fired up its fanbase’s expectations with its versatile mindset and corresponding musicianship was perhaps felt even more given that Lumiere’s eagerly anticipated debut album – a magnanimous double-disc affair, no less – had only been released a few weeks earlier.
If it turns out all right, we might be tempted to play a couple more gigs
Across the space of just over 100 minutes filled with a blend of slow burners, energetic displays of dark-edged riffage and swirling crescendos, It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time captured various aspects of the band’s musical vision and aspirations.
The mixture of sonic emotions and ambition translated into a melting pot of soundscapes that at different levels and in different ways shaped and informed the shimmering end result. The fact that the band never quite sub-scribed to any particular musical period, artist or influence has lent the album a timeless quality, its songs as striking now as they were back then.
This, of course, augurs well for the band’s upcoming reunion gig, a one-off event that will also be the first live taste of Lumière’s music for a whole new generation of alternative music fans.
It’s with good reason that the upcoming reunion is highly anticipated by those already familiar with Lumière’s music and live performances. Back in their day, the band was at the forefront of instilling an alternative twist into the local music scene, eluding distinct categorisation while retaining a characteristic allure that will most likely again be felt during Friday’s performance.
However, this is no nostalgia trip. “The band will be celebrating the rediscovered joy of playing and spending some much-needed quality time together,” frontman Mario Vella explains, days from the big event.
Six years have passed since the band split up, with all members moving on and forming other bands. What was it that prompted this reunion and how did it feel getting back together in the studio and reviving those songs?
It was basically a new-found fondness for each other’s comp-any that sparked this get-together. Any past disagreements now seem all too petty, distant and forgotten.
I guess enough water has passed under the bridge, and we’ve also enjoyed considerable satisfaction and freedom with our own individual projects, be they musical or professional.
This and the coincidental return to Malta of both our bassist Thom and keyboard player Alan conspired toward this blessed reunion.
Will the reunion be a one-off or will we be seeing more of Lumière (perhaps even sporadically) in the future?
I honestly don’t know. It depends on how busy we are with our other, more important projects. For the time being, we’re just concentrating on this gig and trying to have as much fun as we possibly can in the process.
If it turns out all right, we might be tempted to play a couple more gigs, but it really depends on our respective schedules. Am I sounding too cautious?
The alternative scene in Malta has evolved quite considerably since 2005, welcoming some promising bands since Lumière called it a day. How do you see the band’s appeal fit into the current scenario?
I guess the more things change, the more they remain the same. I hope we will be solid enough to overcome any undesired nostalgia that will inevitably stem from such an event. We will do our best to deliver a performance worthy of the respect of any established or promising upcoming band.
As to Lumière’s appeal within current musical trends, well, guitar music never really goes away, so we are not particularly apprehensive about our relevance or lack thereof.
Your debut album was very well received upon its release. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight, how do you rate the songs on the album today, and what, if at all, would you do differently this time?
I think our album had a number of noteworthy tunes, others that passed muster, and a couple of tracks which shouldn’t havefound their way on the final cut. I believe it had plenty of ideas and ambition.
We were not afraid of overdoing it and that’s something I am rather fond of. I believe that for better or worse, it set us apart from our peers.
Speaking for myself, I wish I gave a better performance on some of those tunes.
If we had to record it today, I would be less apprehensive about ditching songs and lyrics. I would probably also be more fussy about mastering and mixing.
There’s room for improvement in my diction too, although trusted friends insist I should not bother about this aspect, even if I tend to think they are way too kind...
Lumière has only had a handful of rehearsals in the run-up to the gig. Has it been simply a case of rehearsing the old songs, or were there any temptations or urges to explore and try out something new?
The urge to try something new is always lurking in there but one must bear in mind that a number of these songs were only played a couple of times live. Time constraints have dictated what we focus on, which is essentially to play the old songs as well as we possibly can before getting carried away.
Are there any particular songs you’re looking forward to performing on the night?
Most definitely The Fear, which in my opinion is Lumiere’s most criminally underrated track. And Cecil B too; I think we managed to harness our characteristic wall of sound very well on these songs.
Does the fact that a lot of people are looking forward to this concert put you under any pressure?
No pressure, but certainly loads of pleasure!
Lumière will be performing at V-Gen in Paceville on Friday. Skimmed will kick off the night with their signature brand of upbeat tunes, killer hooks and shouty vocals. Doors open at 9 p.m.
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