- Posted By: Dark Emperor
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Featuring one of the most stacked tour line-ups in a while, Alcest was set to finally return to North America with their latest dream-like opus “Les chants de l'aurore”. But that was not the whole surprise, as Japan’s Post-Rock/Shoegaze giants Mono and Iceland’s post-punk outfit Kælan Mikla completed the bill. As we love all three bands, this was one of the must see shows for us in 2025.
The UC Theater is a pretty solid venue in Berkeley, California, as we were quite surprised the bands were playing here as this was definitely a step up in terms of size from the places we have seen Alcest in the past, in North America that is. Opening the night, we had the lovely ladies of Kælan Mikla unleashing their dark and playful music to a partially unsuspecting crowd.
The band has slowly made a name for themselves in North America, with previous tours with Ville Valo and Kanga. While some people didn’t know what to expect from this outfit, we particularly loved the reactions of newcomers as they were completely enthralled by the band’s dreamy and particularly weird music. They definitely got a good set of new fans as many people seem quite impressed with their short but powerful set.
Kælan Mikla setlist:
(new song)
Svört augu
Kalt
Sírenur
Stjörnuljós
Sólstöður
Hvítir Sandar
Next up, we had Mono and their completely dreamy Post-Rock/Shoegaze music. As one of the bands that got us into those genres, every time we see them live we love the intensity and rawness of their sets. Last time we saw them with Deafheaven in San Francisco, and they didn’t disappoint.
Playing a set over 45 minutes long, the band quickly created a very cathartic atmosphere as their songs have excellent progressions filled with tempo changes and very climatic elements. The band’s composed and yet energetic live presence is perfect for the music, and they completely captivated a nearly full venue with their music.
Mono setlist:
Run On
We All Shine On
Hear the Wind Sing
Ashes in the Snow
Time Goes By
Alcest is definitely one of our favorite bands, and while we don’t like all albums the same, they have always been pushing the envelope while delivering very dreamy and ethereal music. Putting in the work and the relentless touring has elevated Alcest to the spot of the premiere Post-Black/‘Blackgaze’ band in the scene, showing their hard work and musicianship has paid off. We have probably seen the band several dozen times, all around the world, and we have never been disappointed with their intense sets.
The setlist was also different from the last time we saw them, with the band focusing more on tracks from “Les chants de l'aurore”. However, they did play some of their staple songs like “Écailles de lune - Part 2”, and some older cuts we haven’t heard in a while like “Souvenirs d'un autre monde” and “Autre temps”.
Alcest setlist:
Komorebi
L’Envol
Améthyste
Protection
Sapphire
Écailles de lune - Part 2
Flamme jumelle
Le miroir
Souvenirs d'un autre monde
Oiseaux de proie
Encore:
Autre temps
L’Adieu
Overall, the band has come a very long way and it was awesome to see them in North America with an audience this large in a packed venue. All bands in the bill gave excellent sets and created a very cohesive atmosphere through the night. We would like to thank Austin at Secret Service PR and the people at the UC theater for making this coverage possible. Do not miss out on the remaining dates of this excellent tour.
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