concert review

WEBSTER HALL, NEW YORK, NY — NOVEMBER 14, 2008 A while back I wrote an article about a band called School of Seven Bells. The article centered around the fact that I had yet to see them. Well, about two weeks ago, I finally did.

I’m sad to say that it did not meet my expectations. The ethereality of their songs did not transfer well on stage. And this is were I’m torn. Because, even though, the songs lost their shimmer, they gained a throbbing intensity that was absolutely thrilling. The guitar and bass were so incredibly loud that my skin vibrated for the entirety of the show. Once again, I can’t say whether this was an improvement or not. On one hand, the newfound drone was exhilarating - it was thunderous and exciting.

On the other hand, “Chain,” the song that originally hooked me in the beginning of the year, sounded almost unrecognizable. I could barely hear its lovely guitar and keyboard loops, let alone the beautiful harmonies of the Deheza sisters. Needless to say, the show as a bit perplexing for my ears. Fortunately, that’s not enough to discredit the trio. If anything the songs are meant to be heard the way they’re performed live which is not bad, whatsoever, I still thoroughly enjoyed their set (which focused on the recently released Alpinisms), just not as much as I thought I would.

But I digress.I should prelude this paragraph by stating that I had never really listened to M83, not with the frequency that I did School of Seven Bells. Prior to this show, M83 existed in a file properly titled “TO BE LISTENED TO” on the far corner of my mind. I had heard the band multiple times on MySpace and had read of them even more times in various music magazines and blogs but, that was as far as our relationship went. Seeing them live changed all that. M83’s performance was the equivalent of a cold, hard slap in the face, and I mean that in a good way. Never have I been so impressed with a band’s animalistic sexuality.

Allow me to explain. M83 consists of Anthony Gonzales (and formerly Nicolas Fromageau). His music is typically associated with the shoegaze style that emerged in the late 1980s. It is, first and foremost, loud. So loud that my ears were ringing for the rest of the night. Secondly, it is quiet. Now this may seem like a bit of contradiction but it is true - M83’s music is a juxtaposition of piercing instruments and soft vocals. So where does the sex come in? To be honest, it was everywhere. The entire set played like passionate sex. From the almost orgasmic swoons of “keyboard girl,” as she was so lovingly nicknamed by a man in the crowd, to the fast and furious kicks and hits of the drums to the impossibly loud feedback of the reverb. Even Gonzales’ dancing felt sexual. More than once did he squat to the ground and fervently thrust against it. It was rather surprising considering the band’s music, but so wonderfully satisfying at the same time. I was not bored at any point. Gonzales and co. kept me (as well as the rest of the crowd) in a trance of bowel-shaking bass and beautiful harmonies. The show climaxed during the encore, “Couleurs,” causing the entire crowd to burst into a form of pleasurable epilepsy. It was perfect.