DEERHOOF 11/3/13 @theIRENIC
(show presented by SODA BAR)
Wow. I've been waiting to
see this act for a while... quirky rhythm drum beats lead the way,
dreamy follow-the-bouncing-ball, english-as-a-second-language
type vocals, with a mostly upbeat wash of guitars or
basses...all of this in one band- DEERHOOF.
I loved their stage set up,
having singer and drummer in front with guitar players or bass
players holding down the back of the stage. Every song seems to
revolve around the drums which punch, click, and drag the controlled noise
between picturesque compelling vocal scenes, one after another.
Just when you think they have departed into the realm of “Jammy
noise”, an outburst of drums suddenly snaps the entire
room into another quiet dreamscape-intimate vocal. Everyone
took a turn at the bass, with one or two guitars. Singer Satomi
Matsuzak's voice sounds a little like a child playing in a sandbox
and singing and doesn't know you are listening. She also sounds
amazingly sharp with her visually stilted rhythms and opaque
melodies. She also does leg kicks above her head when it's her turn
to play the bass.
For the encore she was
trying to teach us to sing like her. “ Come see Da Dum!,...
Come,... Come,... Come see Da dum!” Then the band would stop and
she would say “ It's a pattern, ok??” We tried to keep up.
This show could have gone
either way since they have such an extensive catalog with divergent material. It was great. Everything you want from them and a little more (maybe that you don't want.) Of course they
don't play their radio “hit,” “The Trouble With Candy Hands".
But they do play some of their best material off the most recent
albums (“Breakup Song,” and “Deerhoof vs. Evil") and some
more obscure songs, too. They also mix in an indie-prog-rock version of
“I Don't Want to be a Pinhead No more!” and an appropriately poignant version
of The Velvet Underground's “ All Tomarrow's Parties” to shatter
our expectations.
The VU song was cute (since
another member of that band died lately) with Satomi appearing to
read the lyrics from a hand written sheet given to her on stage by
another band member. Everyone clapped, and she smiled.
Before the encore, the
drummer took the mic for an enjoyable extended rambling stand up
comedy interaction with members of the audience. Nice.
There is no place I would
rather see live music then at North Park's Irenic, with it's soaring
spacious ceilings and it's middle 1940's charm. More please. I can't
wait to see them again.
BTW ... I really got a
chance to know people while waiting in the merch line, because the
drummer who was selling their merchandise was also taking the chance
for long form conversations with each of the dozen or more people who
were picking up vinyl, shirts, and compact discs in the line in
front of me. Seriously... buy your shirts and move to the
side, we all want to buy. Special thanks to whatever member of
Cuckoo Chaos and GF helped me to pass the time in the SLOWEST MERCH
LINE EVER.
The photos are from my mobile, but there's more after the jump.
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