While Ron Paul supporters got high on some politickin' about a presidential bid or some shit in Webster Hall's basement, we chilled out maximus to the stoner hippie stylings of Tame Impala upstairs in the Grand Ballroom.
Chicago band Yawn was already opening the show when we got in. All I remember, unfortunately, was thinking the singer was cute and the drums were nice and dancey.
During the intermission, we got all soul-searchy and weird pondering about when we would stop checking out new bands and seeing them live and got a little grossed out on the prospect of being in our 50s and still raging at indie shows... then Yuck came on. Earlier than scheduled, even, and we hope this didn't mean their set would be longer than necessary (it wasn't).
This band sounds a bit Pixies-ish and like they belong doing guest spots on '90s teen dramz like Beverly Hills 90210. Aside from this there was some denim on denim, Poppy hair and an Acapulco bata (we like the word "bata"). I want to say we were kind of tricked into enjoying their set -- we weren't in the mood but in order to not get bored we listened and swayed to the songs which really weren't so bad, especially one song called "Fat Pussy."
After the torturous but inevitable worst 30 minutes ever --the ones before a headlining band comes on-- Kevin Parker and co. brought their cute bare feet to the Webster Hall stage for the first time in NYC since November's Bowery Ballroom show. For an hour and a half we shook, shimmied and swayed as they hopscotched through jams from Innerspeaker, played a phenomenal cover of Massive Attack's "Angel"--amped to the appropriate volume level for once-- and topped with what drumma Jay Watson called a "decadent medley, like a slice of decadent cake" to which Kevin replied saying "la torta" in Spanish and our ears perked up at the sound of our native language being spoken by an adorable Aussie in an enviable cheetah shirt. This decadent torta consisted of "Lucidity" and parts of "Skeleton Tiger" and "Half Glass Full of Wine." I expected "41 Mosquitoes.." would be thrown up in that slice but nay. No encore, either, since those things tend to get lame according to Kevin Parker but worry not, he assured they were to return soon enough to satiate our needs. That said, I'm just putting it out there: next time give us some "41 Mosquitoes..." and "Sundown Syndrome," grcs.
Homeward bound, we guzzled black cherry sodas and talked about many a thing as usual, including Snail's accidental eavesdropping on a disgusting post-concert conversation, and wrapped up another night of doing what we do until we can't handle people all up in our auras no more: getting our minds blown by our favorite artists live.
Thursday night, standing in for Moz (who was probably pricing meat in a violently mean way for having to miss this show) and for the first time in a while without mine Snail, I reveled in some psych rock deliciosity at Bowery Ballroom.
Every time I've gone to a show alone at Bowery I've interacted with the people at the door. Last night was no exception, I joked around with the peeps manning at the entrance and talked awesome/suck ass performances with gentleman that lets you up to the floor. Now I want to work there so hard.
After I got to stage and the last staffer I talked to had to actually do his job, this left me particularly chatty and started talking to the photographer who was standing next to me. I realized i asked a lot of questions and puked some major verbal diarrhea. After I stopped asking questions he didn't say a word to me so...haha.
I talked to three other people - a girl who asked me if I went to the Pivot/Flying Lotus/!!!/Battles Warp20 show after scoping out my bag. I was excited because I've been waiting for someone to do that since I got the thing haha. We talked about how nuts it was and I told her how Snail lost her shoe in the pit and just praised the crap out that show, it was pretty awesome. Then a funny dude who runs this site and a nice guy taking pics for Getty Images. Anywho, the cheep who thought she officially hated going to shows alone now discovered she can be Chatty Cathy and had a pretty fun time talking to strangers. Maybe I can make friends for friendship's sake...
Random fact: I had to pee really bad the entire show and I held it all the way to the end making my pee-holding record of 3 hours and change. Success! I'd like to thank my youth without which my bladder control would be nonexistent.
Now on to the show!
Openers Kuroma were alright. They're a multi-culti bunch and I laughed at the prospect of some pro reviewer making a point of saying that in their rundown and I like that because it like a small win for people trying to bust stereotypes or something. Their drummer reminded me of my husband Phillip Seymour Hoffman which also made me giggle.
The band for which this concert ticket was purchased, Stardeath & White Dwarfs blew my ears away literally. Bassist Casey Joseph's amps were so loud I felt my contacts shake in my eyes and my brain move. My left ear cried a little bit but I just told it to suck it up and it stopped.
I haven't listened to Stardeath much since a couple months after discovering them at our first Flaming Lips show in April so aside from my absolute favorite tracks with lyrics on the set list, "New Heat" and "I Can't Get Away," I was at a loss. No matter, they played a banging set with the highlights once again being Dennis Coyne's outfit, making eye contact with him a couple of times (no one can take that away from me) and the instrumentals.
I wanted Dennis' shirt and his homemade white fur boots. I asked him as at the end if he had made the boots. He confirmed and said, kinda apologetically, they don't look as good up close. When told me this I laughed and did this stupid shit I always do: Think of a reply forget I didn't vocalize it, by the time it gets to my mouth its too late to exclaim. Dennis if you ever come across this review, if you remember me laughing it wasn't at your lack of boot making skills. It doesn't matter that your boots don't look as awesome up close, you MADE a pair of furry boots and they're all the more great because of that.
My brain exploded during Casey and drummer Matt Duckworth's rhythm section jam-out "Those Who Are From the Sun Return to the Sun" and another strobetastic instrumental they did with the guitarist right after it which I don't remember if I've heard it before. Anyway these two songs reminded me how much Matt rules, primo drum skills. Now I feel bad typing that because there is no lack of talent from anyone in this band haha. Some moron said "If I wanted to listen to Clouds Taste Metallic I woulda blah blah" zzzz and I wanted to strangle him for being a haterator. Can you tell I love them? I do. They're a hella talented, handsome and sweet as pie group of dudes and I'd like to marry them all. There I said it.
I didn't listen to Tame Impala until the weekend before the show even though a praise from Noel Fielding via tweet and the fact they were headlining this show had me curious beforehand but when the music is gonna take ya, it does. I managed to have 4 favorites by last night and they opened with three of them, "It's Not Meant to Be" "Solitude is Bliss" and "Alter Ego." "Desire Be, Desire Go" came later in the set :)
Tame Impala's music is as intoxicating as sunbathing on the first perfect warm sunny day after a shit weather spell. I thought of that while listening to them on the bus this morning as the sun hit my face and felt it was the most perfect combination of feelgood awesome so you better be impressed.
They ripped it up, the sound was amazing. I head banged and grooved with my eyes closed a lot.
Maybe too much because my head was killing me when I got home. The only downer in the performance was singer/lead guitarist Kevin Parker's throat was turning against him and crapping out his voice occasionally. He was really uncomfortable and I felt bad but he soldiered on and I'm grateful he stuck it out. I hope he felt better for round 2 Friday night at Bowery.
Another new favorite band to add to the list of so many discovered this year, yay! Hopefully next year C&S can experience this sunshine together!
Watch my new band crush playing "Solitude Is Bliss" below:
See pics from this show at Brooklynvegan (who quoted me via tweet, haha) and TONY
