Ladytron / Simian - New York Bowery Ballroom - 20/2/03
4/5
By: Joshua K
Maybe it's because your correspondent has just seen '24 Hour Party People', but this glorious debut American tour has 'Madchester' written all over it. Your cast: Ladytron, starring as a veritable female-fronted New Order; and Simian, as a latter-day Happy Mondays/The Farm.
Yes, friends, this comparison is more than a bit hyperbolic. But it should both give you the basic gist of what these bands sound akin to and tell you how damn good a gig it was.
Simian, in support, quickly demonstrated why their early UK shows were branded 'The Church of ...', singer Simon Lord frenetically bouncing about the stage, easily winning over the crowd with his devotional zeal. As for the songs, they span various moods and feels, welding melodic, quasi-psychedelic harmonies to rock rhythms and dance beats. Highlights range from the shouty pop of 'La Breeze' to the music-hall tones of 'Helpless' and then to the dark, Depeche Mode-esque 'Never Be Alone' (all from last fall's 'We Are Your Friends' LP). And first album 'Chemistry Is What We Are' isn't neglected either, offering up choice-cuts inclusive of the Beach Boys-go-electronica 'The Wisp'. All, of course, utterly class (A), and a high bar for our headliners to match.
But Ladytron, looking 'Blade Runner'-android cool in their dark body suits, are more than up to the challenge. Backed by artsy video projections and strobing lights, they drop the highpoints of current album 'Light & Magic' upon us and add a generous helping of first LP '604'.
So, it's all there: 'True Mathematics'; 'Blue Jeans'; 'Cracked LCD'; 'Black Plastic'; 'Evil'; and a blinding run through signature song 'Seventeen'. The room throbs with forceful energy for seventy whole minutes, with live bass and drums adding a warm edge to the records' eis kalt tones. The result? Though the performers stayed relatively stock still, the audience dances and sways for the entire night.
And then came a special surprise as the second encore. Imagine a storming, punk rock take on Tweet's R&B smash 'Oops (Oh My)'. Now, multiply by a factor of ten. This panzer-attack really happened, leaving five-hundred smartly-dressed indie kids dazed and confused. It couldn't, and shouldn't, have ended any other way.
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment