concert review

NEW YORK, NY — OCTOBER 9, 2008 The United Palace seats 3,293 people. It is a grand theater that was originally built for movies and vaudeville shows. This is surprising considering the theater’s aesthetic (majestic chandeliers, beautiful flower patterned carpets, and plush red seats), which gives off an orchestra/ballet type of atmosphere. It therefore goes without saying that seeing Beck and MGMT play at the ornate venue was quite an experience.

MGMT took the stage exactly at eight o’clock. After a few songs, it became clear that a good amount of the show’s attendees were there to see them just as much as they were there to see Beck. They played a great set, mostly focusing on their increasingly popular Oracular Spectacular. I was very glad to hear “Weekend Wars” amidst the more known songs like “Time To Pretend” and “Electric Feel.” My only complaint would have to be their exclusion of “Kids,” one of my favorites from Oracular Spectacular.

Beck was a different story. He came onstage quickly after MGMT and, without saying a word, began strumming the opening notes of “Loser.” I think it was pretty obvious that he only did this to get it out of the way. And who can blame him? I’m sure he has played the unlikely hit enough times to last him a lifetime and I’m sure we’ve all heard the song enough times to last us a lifetime. Nevertheless, it was an exciting opener. One could feel the anticipation in the air as Beck blasted through his first few tunes, which included newer gems “Time Bomb” and “Nausea.” Actually, he blasted through the entire setlist. I couldn’t tell if this was done to accommodate our A.D.D.-ridden attention spans or to get the show over with. Obviously I would prefer the former but either way it worked. Every song was performed in quick succession. There was no chatting in between numbers and even less jamming within songs.

If anything the rapidity of the performance only added to Beck’s ever growing enigmatic persona. The man barely tours and on Thursday night he hit the stage in a huge, purple hat that covered most of his head, hardly said a word the entire night and hid in the shadows, leaving the spotlights surrounding the stage to illuminate his bandmates more than they did him.

The funny thing is that it didn’t matter whether Beck was amiable and outgoing that night. We were there to hear “Lost Cause” and “Where It’s At” regardless of their performer’s personality. Truth be told, it was nice seeing a show that mostly revolved around the music instead of the musical artist. It was as if he was letting his songs say it all. Beck knows who he is. The kid knows he is talented and while to some it may have come off a bit rude and antisocial to play the show the way he did, it was actually rather refreshing. We were in, we were out, and in between we got to hear golden tunes played by a golden man. And there is nothing more to it than that.

HOT CHIP with GROWING

BROOKLYN, NY — OCTOBER 4, 2008 Terminal 5 is growing on me. When I walked in on Saturday night, the bare vast rooms, with their gothic chandeliers and neon blue lights started to make sense. It’s a terminal, after all, a transitory place; there is no need for lavish decorations nor kitschy details. Only a stage, some music, and a few good people.

Hot Chip, once again, managed to book a terrible opening band. Growing, as they were called, spent thirty minutes playing the same three chords and synthesizer frequencies in an unclear and unlikable progression. Not even ecstasy would have alleviated the situation. Luckily for me, and everyone else, they got off the stage as quickly as they arrived.

The headliners were infinitely more enjoyable. They took the stage and jumped right into “One Pure Thought,” a ditty from their latest album Made In The Dark. It was a surprising first number but not the least bit disappointing. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the rest of the set list. The band chose mostly songs from their most recent release, and while I love the album, I was hoping to hear a lot more from The Warning. The superb remixes, however, made up for them; they were more distinct and provided a nice variety to the otherwise expected set list. “Bendable Poseable” sounded particularly quirky in Saturday’s incarnation. Other highlights included “Down With Prince,” and the “Nothing Compares 2 U/In the Privacy Of Our Love” hybrid, which did wonders as the show closer.

Overall, Hot Chip made for a good Saturday night. I probably still have other people’s sweat on my body but I don’t care. If a band can make you be that careless then they are obviously doing something right.

No Comments »