Thursday, October 18, 2007

Curtains On does CMJ 2007: White Williams / No Age / Dan Deacon / Deerhunter @ Bowery Ballroom, 10/17/07

Dan Deacon is a tough act to follow

I don't even know how to start. I'd been staring at the computer screen trying to find a way to start describing how incredible last night's spectacle and music was for so long that it is appropriate to start just saying so. The planets aligned up last night to have the most stellar line up of any possible CMJ show this week, in my opinion... there was absolutely no mediocre band in the house.

The night started for me when White Williams slowly got us warmed with his tunes gorgeously overloaded with bass... so much delicious bass. No wonder why Dan Deacon and Girl Talk decided to bring him on the road with them for their last tour. The kid (23 y.o.) needs to learn how to dance to his own music... umhh or maybe it sounds with a different beat in his head. Anyway, his album is not even out yet and he definitely got my attention...


The room suddenly got packed... No Age was next. I've enjoyed No Age's Weirdo Rippers in small doses because punk/noise/etc are not the kind of music I easily digest, but last night the word "fun" was added to their sound and that might change the way I listen to their stuff. Good and so much energy for just a couple of guys hitting the drums and one guitar...


But the protagonists of the night hadn't started yet. First, Dan "Madness" Deacon. I like his Spiderman of the Rings a lot, but live... oh man, quite a sweaty experience. Most of his songs live also get the re-work treatment, cause I wasn't able to identify many of them but just some of their parts, except Wham City, which is definitely one of the best songs this fine 2007 and it became an anthem last night with everybody singing it (with lyrics in hand or not)... everybody lost their shit right there. Even before the music started it was hard to stand... everybody was already pushing around to get closer to the man, who plays (well, presses buttons, pedals and stuff) at the same level as his fans, so only a few actually can get to "see" Dan Deacon perform. But you don't need to see him... he has a fucking awesome symbol that glows with his music and will keep you entertained...


... and Deerhunter. They knew it was hard to play after Dan Deacon. This was not the first time, but tonight felt differently... Bradford really meant it when he said "Deacon is a tough act to follow" and then told us they were going to bring us down for a while. However, Deerhunter was definitely the best ones tonight, musically speaking. I don't need the sweat and the dancing to transport me and no songs tonight, except maybe Wham City, could do it better than Hazel St., Spring Hall Convert, Cryptograms, Wash Off, Dr. Glass, Octet and Fluorescent Grey, among others.

I was expecting acts like Deerhunter and Dan Deacon to play some new music since their albums have been out now for a while, they have been touring constantly and pretty much everybody knows them now, and this is CMJ you know? That fairly happened. I was not impressed, except for the fun, with the new Deacon's songs, but I fall in love instantly with the only new Deerhunter song they played last night, which happened to be the first one in the set. Really really really good...


We are going to keep hearing (and talking) about Deerhunter and particularly not about Bradford's dresses, erections, or meltdowns, but about the outstanding music the band is creating. Believe the hype if you haven't checked it by yourself, Cryptograms, Fluorescent Grey and the whole Deerhunter deserves us. [photos of the show]

Links: Stream Deerhunter - Cyrptograms, Stream Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey, Stream Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

No comments: