Paris Obscur Brings the Darkness to Cat's Art MusikCircus

Paris Obscur is a very dangerous man as it's one of the most extraordinary ironies of this time that people are more afraid of truth than lies.  What makes him exceptionally dangerous is the passion inside him to sing these songs for us.  After singing of a particularly painful story, we can hear in his voice how much it has affected him and he has to collect himself for a moment.

As one example, one of Paris' friends was raped and he wrote a song about it.  On hearing the song she was at first back into the pain of the moment but ultimately it helped her deal with it.  Rape is one of the darkest acts people are capable of committing and Paris won't let it slip away as a paragraph in a newspaper on the tenth page.  He brings an emotional surrealism to things that might otherwise slip away and in doing it finds something that may well be more important than whatever is on the front page.

There are many conclusions on can draw from Paris' work but it would insult that work if I identified any of my own as Paris doesn't do it either.  He presents his observations in a fantastically dramatic way and it is up to you to decide what you make of them.  Perhaps you will decide it is gratuitous muckraking ... but I very much doubt you will do that.  If you'll permit a rather inelegant way of saying it, if your underwear is dirty, it really makes no difference if there are no spots on your tuxedo.

Don't leave thinking Paris sings nothing but baleful laments that make the audience want to commit suicide.  In fact he varies his songs up to hard-punching screams and I don't exaggerate as the anguish in the growl of his voice is immensely powerful and extremely intense.  I was turning the lights on and off for the heavy parts and I don't know if I'm much of a light man but hopefully that added something.

It was an exceptional show and he will be back again next month.  Paris is very clear that doing too many shows runs a risk of over-exposure and he's quite right.  He will get exposure anyway as his is a unique talent and today he is featured in the Sim Street Journal with an interview.  The article was written by Eleanor Medier and she was at the show last night.