VNV Nation - Birmingham Barfly

VNV Nation is an electronic music group originally from Ireland and London, now based in Hamburg, that combines elements of trance, synthpop and electronic body music (EBM), into what they call futurepop. Earlier works also include some electro-industrial influences - so if you like Depeche Mode, you'd probably like these. Similarly, if you were into the rave scenes of the 90's... you'd enjoy their gigs too.This was their first time in Birmingham and they went through tracks from all albums ("Advance and Follow" (1995), "Praise the Fallen" (1998), "Empires" (1999), "Futureperfect" (2002), "Matter + Form" (2005) and, finally, "Judgement" (2007))They opened with 'Farthest Star' before going through such tracks including 'Testament', 'Standing', 'Perpetual', 'Dark Angel', 'Legion', Honour', Genesis', 'Fragments'. Add to this, truly brilliant (softer) tracks like 'Illusion' and 'Beloved'...All in, a 2-hour set on a Sunday night at the Barfly - a great venue with a great band playing to a room of goths with glowsticks.I'm seeing them again this Thursday and expect another brilliant, engaging, funny and uplifting time.So what track? 'Illusion' live is stunning - and to see Ronin (lead singer) cry to his own song... is odd yet fitting.If they could have persuaded Mark (drummer) to sing Jingle Bells... then I'd have that!Instead... well... as Ronin said "this track has everything I ever wanted to say in a song" - so it has to be this one.