live review | Heartbreaking Bravery

May 10, 2014

Midnight Reruns at Polack Inn – 5/7/14 (Pictorial Review, Video)

[EDITOR’S NOTE: The images in the gallery are currently overlaying themselves. A fix is currently being worked on. Until then, the pictures can be viewed in static form over at flickr and the kaleidoscopic overlaps will remain in the gallery below.]

There are certain towns in Wisconsin that exist slightly off the beaten Madison-Milwaukee path but retain a sense of industry, rather than the sprawling scenery the state’s often noted for. Wausau is one of those towns. Farther North than most major show destinations, it’s managed to carve out its own little niche in terms of tour stops based on the strength of the venues. One of the city’s most noted non-house venues is the Polack Inn, a bar perfectly suited for DIY level acts.

Last Wednesday it was used to its fullest capabilities hosting We the Heathens and Midnight Reruns. The former acted as local support and played a lengthy well-received set which offered up an inviting blend of traditional Gaelic, folk-punk, and 90’s pop-punk. Each member of the Wausau power trio proved to have very capable control over their respective instruments (guitar, mandolin, and violin) and their audience. A late start saw much of the crowd dispersing after their set- which they’ll likely be kicking themselves for after learning what they missed out on.

Midnight Reruns, now comfortably positioned as one of Wisconin’s best acts (both in studio and live), played a typically incendiary set that featured no less than five new songs. It’s worth pointing out that after the last Midnight Reruns show in Stevens Point, a person close to the band noted that their new songs were “redefining the parameters of rock n’ roll”. That sentiment proved to be more true than expected, as the new songs ably merged distinguishing characteristics from the last handful of decades. A few of the structures were borderline progressive but overall, they gave off of a vibe more vintage 70’s (while remaining impossibly modern) than the 90’s powerpop that seemingly every review wastes no time administering. It’ll be interesting to see how the new material is met once it’s officially released, to say the least.

After a blitz through all that material (which made time to include several songs from their self-titled debut, which should be considered a state classic, and “Too Tall” from their Central Time EP), they packed up. Or, rather, they began to pack up until a friend of the band requested one last song: “Basement Guy”. No one could blame her for the request; any time there’s the potential for that song to be heard, that opportunity’s worth seizing. Her request was graciously obliged (under the warm, well-intentioned reasoning of “Guys, it’s Claire [requesting the song], come on.”) and the performance that followed can be seen below. It’s the first video to be put up under the now-officially-rebranded Heartbreaking Bravery video section and it’s impossible to imagine anything being better for a first entry.

Scan through the photographs and watch the video (select 1080p for best quality) below.

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April 5, 2014

Perfect Pussy at 7th St. Entry – 3/30/14 (Live Review)

First of all, deepest apologies for the delay in content. It’s been an incredibly busy week and there hasn’t been much time to post anything between driving over 1,300 miles, prepping all of the content that came out of that trip, and the crippling side effects of getting a total of nine hours sleep over four days’ time. There was a reason for all of that insanity and the reason, for anyone even remotely familiar with this site, won’t come as a surprise.

It had only been two short months since the last time the coverage of Perfect Pussy’s incendiary Chicago set, which was something that played a definite factor in the decision to drive from central Wisconsin to Minneapolis to Chicago over three days to see them play two more sets. While there will be more to come on the second Chicago show, this piece will be devoted to their Minneapolis stop at the legendary 7th St. Entry, which more than lived up to its reputation.

Not only was the drive down much more pleasant than the potentially life-threatening Chicago trip back in January but there was actually time to spare before the opening acts, ensuring both time to settle in and the ability to see all three bands on a characteristically impressive bill. First up were local stalwarts The Miami Dolphins. All wiry nerve and frenetic energy, the quartet ripped through one of the most memorably spastic sets there’s been in quite some times. Seamlessly transitioning between a shrill metallic dissonance falling somewhere between Shellac and Sonic Youth at their most aggressive, the completely left-field work of The Minutemen at their strangest, and moments of both staggering heaviness and genuinely bouncy surf-inflected powerpop sounds like a mess on paper. Luckily, the written word doesn’t dictate motion. The Miami Dolphins’ set managed to be unpredictably thrilling and left a deep impression- they control their future by the sheer virtue of fearless originality. There’s not many things in music that are more commendable than pulling that feat off.

A set as jumpy and insanely bug-eyed as The Miami Dolphins’ one, especially when used in the opening slot, has multiple benefits- one of them being that it can cover a wide range as a set-up for the ensuing act. Condominium‘s abrasive hardcore noise somehow seemed to dovetail quite nicely with their preceding act despite occupying two very different ends of the hardcore spectrum. Their unifying ground may have come via what seems to be a distinctly unique debt to the readily apparent influence of Steve Albini but the level of intensity both brought to their live sets wound up being what pushed them into a comfortable coexistence (and wound up heightening the expectations for Perfect Pussy’s set). They played as loud as possible and approached frightening with their militaristic precision but really seemed to live for the moments of pure noise (usually generated by guitarist Greg Stiffler’s penchant for maximum-impact feedback sections). More than anything, they obliterated any lingering doubts (if their were any to begin with) that their Sub Pop signing and subsequent release was a fluke. Last Sunday their set seemed to indicate that they were far from done. Expect to be hearing about them quite a bit more in the coming years.

After two incredibly loud sets (neither lacking in the intensity department), the stage had been set and the bar had been raised. Perfect Pussy came out, sans vocal amp, set up and looked downright tranquil for a few moments to the point where it became an effectively eerie calm-before-the-storm situation, all members looking down at their feet or out at the void that exists pasts the blinding stage lights. Meredith Graves, one of the most seductively intimidating and forceful performers on the face of the planet, paced silently. Then, it happened. Drummer Garrett Koloski counted the band in and they took off with enough velocity to send the crowd into immediate hysterics. All of the band poured every inch of themselves into their near-twenty minute set (a marathon by their past standards) and absolutely tore through the majority of Say Yes to Love while also making sure I have lost all desire for feeling wasn’t completely neglected either.

Both the band and the audience fed off of each other in another strong example of the most supportive symbiotic relationships imaginable, reaching a fever pitch during the band’s last stretch that kicked off with the back half of the unbelievably gorgeous-turned-unbelievably fierce “Interference Fits” (a highlight even without an introduction containing a dedication worth eternal gratitude for). Shaun Sutkus’ body shook violently, as if he was possessed, guitarist Ray McAndrew couldn’t stop thrashing around even during the very few song breaks that the band allows, and bassist Greg Ambler seemed to be everywhere at once. At several points, being on the stage looked about as risky as being in the center of the audience. That potential danger seemed second nature to everyone between those four walls, though, as it was nearly impossible to find anyone in 7th St. Entry without a massive grin on their face.

Feeding into that relentless energy and making Perfect Pussy’s set even more memorable was the fact that it sounded incredible (seriously, major props to whoever was behind the soundboard, bands that loud and chaotic are not easy to mix- especially when the singer’s notorious for wanting to drown the vocals in swells of interference and pure feedback). Actually hearing Graves yell things like “Ain’t that a big drag?!” over the staggering wall of noise her bandmates conjure up around her was nearly as cathartic on its own as the presentation as a composite whole. There were times where it really was all whirlwind, heat, and flash. Photographers staked out their ground early only to be swallowed up in the chaos surrounding them, beer was spilled on just about everyone, converts were made and the band was onstage, doing what they love, clearly having the time of their lives, unafraid to show their adoration for anyone in the audience reacting to something they created.

By the time Sutkus’ epilogue showcase had finally run itself into silence, McAndrew, Ambler, Koloski, and Graves had all exited the stage, visibly exhausted but still feeling the overwhelming excitement that comes with being at the center of a groundswell. They may have their detractors, they may also have the accompanying anxieties of being a band that’s incredibly visible so early on, and they may very well have escalating levels of doubt- but one thing’s for sure- they put on one hell of a show. All fingers crossed that this thing they’re at the center of lasts as long as it possibly can- and that they get every ounce of enjoyment out of it as humanly possible. They deserve it.

Photographs below.

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March 4, 2014

Nervosas at Center Street Free Space and Quarters Rock N Roll Palace – 3/1/14 (Live Review)

On March 1, 2014, the entirety of Milwaukee was emitting a low hum- the result of hundreds of amps coming to life. There was the East Side Music Festival, which stood as a celebration of local music (Heartbreaking Bravery favorites The Sleepwalkers, Midnight Reruns, and The Midwestern Charm were all well represented), that spanned several participating venues and featured headlining sets from Why? and POS. Beach Patrol, Jake Simmons, and Tim Schweiger & the Middlemen were the bands making up a stellar bill over at Bremen Cafe, outside of the fest. Another non-fest show that was likely worth seeing had Ringo Deathstarr headlining Mad Planet. There was a show in seemingly every venue in the city- and Nervosas played two of them.

First up was a show in the basement of DIY library collective Center Street Free Space alongside Strange Matter and Crowdpleaser. After having some trouble with a faulty mic stand that essentially just gave out before Strange Matter began (both a cinder block and a weighted bucket were used as position anchors) the show started with an incredibly impressive set from Milwaukee hardcore veterans Strange Matter. After a few lineup changes and toting a new 7″, ennui actuation dissolver, the band was in fine form throughout a rapid-fire set. Blending all kinds of influences into a fairly original sound that leans heavily on hardcore, Strange Matter have built a strong reputation for themselves by virtue of their releases. If this show was any indication, though, their live show may have surpassed their recorded output in terms of quality- and that’s saying something.

Next to bat was Crowdpleaser, another Milwaukee band toying with genre limitations in slightly unexpected ways. Pushing their volumes to dangerous heights, the band played passionately and were genuinely excited to be sharing a bill with Nervosas. Their excitement was even more justified by the similarities between the two bands. Both Crowdpleaser and Nervosas share a similarly-mined strand of goth-punk that a lot of today’s bands can’t claim. There’s also a peculiar restlessness to be found in both bands’ music. Neither band is afraid of the unsparingly bleak, either. While there are more than a few differences between Crowdpleaser and Nervosas, and while there were a fair amount of technical difficulties, Crowdpleaser’s set felt like a completely natural precursor for the perpetually anxious Nervosas.

When Nervosas finally took over they did it with a manic determination that made their set one of the most cathartic experiences imaginable. Truly looking like that went both ways (band and audience feeding into each other on a barely-controlled loop) they grew progressively more intense as the set went on. Afterwards guitarist, Mickey, would reveal that she was trying to frantically keep up with the rest of her band who purportedly never play that fast. Whether that was a false claim is anyone’s best guess but at various points throughout the set, their drummer, Nick, would lose time and recover quickly with well-timed blast beats. All the while Jeff (their bassist and vocalist) would be careening through songs from the few outstanding releases they have so far, completely caught up in the moment. The only times the weirdly hypnotic and utterly dark spell was broken came when one of them would let the song get away from them (though they all recovered incredibly quickly) and not be able to help a smile. It’s impossible to gauge how long their set was as everyone was completely caught up in the moment, watching the band teeter on the edge of total collapse and reign things in at all the right moments. Making this even more memorable was the low turnout rate for the show- the benefit being that everyone who was there clearly cared enough to make sure that they were there so they could shout along “APAB” at all the right moments and support a band they loved. By the time the band finished tearing through a particularly rousing take on “Poison Ivy” nearly everyone that was present had likely already made up their minds to make their way over to the late show to see them again.

Between the end of the Free Space show and the start of the show at Quarters, a stop was made at Bremen Cafe in hopes to catch one of the three bands playing that night- while that proved to be an impossibility it’s worth noting that Jake Simmons, Tim Schweiger & the Middlemen, and Beach Patrol all come very highly recommended and wouldn’t have been missed any other night. By the time the short walk to Quarters was made, feedback was already ringing throughout the venue, a half circle had been formed in front of the stage, and Midwives were about to go off. Having just seen Midwives member Graham Hunt lead Midnight Reruns through another energetic set just a week prior it was nice to see him fully embracing the role of a hardcore guitarist, while it was nice to see Sahan Jayasuriya back behind a kit for a band he believes in. Both of them need the band for different reasons; for Hunt it’s the ability to cut loose and be as grimy as possible, something that fronting Midnight Reruns doesn’t afford him- and for Jayasuriya it’s both the advantage of input into creative control and the sense of connection that comes with being part of something from the ground up, instead of coming into the fold late (something he’s experienced surprisingly often).

It was evident throughout Midwives’ set how badly those points counted for them as they poured their fucking hearts into their set by attacking their instruments with the kind of brute force only found in the best hardcore bands. As both Hunt and Jayasuriya lost their respective minds on their instruments, their vocalist was stalking the hell out of the open space in front of the stage shouting for all his worth and their bassist kept everything in check by holding down his parts while furiously nodding his head along. Ripping through the songs from their vicious debut 7″ (they used the night to celebrate its physical release) and a whole lot of new songs (many of which will be appearing on the LP they’ll be recording this week), it started to feel like the band announcing a bigger kind of arrival. While their studio work is already enormously impressive (despite being only four songs), this is the kind of band that lives for a live setting- they didn’t disappoint and hopefully won’t be disappearing anytime soon.

After quite a bit of set up, take-down, and tuning, Technicolor Teeth turned up their amps to typically deafening volumes and greeted the audience with their shoegaze-heavy nightmare pop. Ever since first seeing this band a few years back and watching them evolve, it’s been clear that they’ve tapped into something inherently special. As they’ve progressed they’ve toyed with the boundaries of genre and exploited the buried aspects of a few different styles rather than settling for something as simple as revivalism. They’re pushing things in new and intriguing directions; finding a home in what was once considered a dormant style and looking forward instead of traveling back. Easily the night’s longest set, they nonetheless were as captivating as usual and likely won over anyone they hadn’t. While their set seemed to be heavy on newer material, it all clicked and felt coherent enough to keep the audience interested despite being a band who’s prone to playing up a drowsy-high aesthetic. There were a few blinding flashes of energy that helped push that along and as a collective unit, the band played close to flawlessly, wrapped up in a weird kind of power approach. A large part of the credit for this is likely due to drummer Amos Pitsch (who uses his time outside of the band to do things like front Tenement) who continues to operate on an almost obscene level of musicality (so much so that it prompted a well-intentioned and sarcastic “Thanks for drumming before me, Amos. That sucked.” from Nick) and provides the band with a considerable punch. In any case, Technicolor Teeth played like they meant it and is a must-catch prospect- they’ll be playing the Accidental Guest Recordings showcase at SXSW, don’t miss it.

After Technicolor Teeth wrapped up and everyone assessed their levels of hearing damage, Nervosas set back up for a final run. Only this time, it wasn’t to 15 people- it was to a packed bar that was threatening to close in on max capacity. As a result, the energy level of the decidedly frenetic show at Free Space somehow got kicked up a few more levels. This time, the audience wound up begging the band for an encore that they never got; and that was alright- Nervosas seemingly left every inch of themselves on that stage. Absolutely ripping through highlights from their best-of-decade worthy self-titled like “Less Than Human”, “Viva Viva”, “Extinct Species”, “Waste of Time”, and (once again) “Stellarcore”, “Poison Ivy” and “APAB” along with some deeper cuts like Rev 45 lead-off track “Junky”. All of this was performed as wild-eyed as possible, with each member being almost inhumanly committed to delivering their songs at maximum levels of impact. None of the three could stay still even between songs, feet tapping and bodies swaying back and forth, anxious to jump into whatever was next. During the songs, that restlessness was even more present as the band would literally throw themselves from side to side (and into the walls on more than one occasion), while attempting to keep themselves in control of the music. Their levels of success on these levels were improbable, as all of the things apart from the audience size were both duplicated and maximized from their set just a few hours before. By the time the calls for an encore were hitting their peak, the band was onstage, packing up, absolutely spent. They’d made their mark and knew their was nothing left to possibly be given.

As the show turned into an afterparty with the assistance of Rio Turbo, friends old and new caught up, got drinks, and found their way into dances, conversations, and the streets. Everyone buzzing on the adrenaline high that accompanies the truly great shows. Everyone that played caught up with each other and their admirers, gave their thanks to each, and bought or traded merch before heading off. Now that all the smoke’s cleared, all that’s left to do is keep both eyes peeled for the next time Nervosas show up- because if these shows were any indication, this is a band that should never be missed.

A few photographs from the shows can be found below.

: Nervosas (CSFS)

: Nervosas (QRNRP)

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January 30, 2014

Screaming Females at Cactus Club – 1/29/14 (Live Review)

Between Dinny Bulca, Tenement, Rio Turbo, and Screaming Females last night and Perfect Pussy exactly a week prior, next Wednesday has a lot to live up to. First off, in regards to last night’s show; what a bill. The pairing of Tenement and Screaming Females has always made sense. That’s now just one of life’s facts. From the very first time they played together at the dearly-missed BFG (Tenement’s old Appleton stomping grounds and now-defunct house venue) all the way through to their most recent split 7″ and Don Giovanni tour, they’ve played off each other to great effect and continue to do so. Bringing up-and-comers Dinny Bulca into the mix as local support was a smart move as their excellent 2013 record Ladies and Gentleman matches up nicely with what both Tenement and Screaming Females are doing musically. Adding the electro-heavy glam-sleaze act Rio Turbo into the lineup was a bit of a puzzler but it’s sometimes nice to have a wildcard just to keep the risk of things becoming stagnant out of reach.

Dinny Bulca played first and managed to make a few converts with consistently high energy paired with well-informed songwriting. It’s fairly clear that the band’s found a way to establish an early identity by incorporating multiple influences without letting any particular one overpower another. There’s still a decent amount of room to grow for Dinny Bulca but it’ll be entertaining as hell to watch them progress. They’ve also got the added benefit of a secret weapon; Scott Cary’s voice. It’s a voice that channels everything from classic rockabilly to early 90’s emo and hardcore while sounding positively at home in the blitz-punk trappings of their music. That element alone may have the strength to open up a variety of doors for them. It’ll just be a matter of time before their name starts coming up in local conversation a little more frequently.

After Dinny Bulca wrapped their set, it was Tenement‘s turn to set up. Tenement’s been exhaustively covered in this site and will continue to receive a large amount of attention and dedication because they’re one of the bands that gets everything right. They’re part of a very small elite class of musicians that deserve to be considered one of the very best and they’ve consistently proven that over the past eight years. Last night was no different. Their set easily lived up to the band’s reputation as one of the most compelling live acts while somehow furthering their growing mystique and identity. Ripping through established classics like “Messy Endings (in Middle America)”, “Lost Love Star Lust”, and a surprisingly tense and gripping tambourine freakout sequence in “Rock Eating People” saw the band firing on all cylinders early, despite lacking some of the low-end in their mix. It was the second half (as the sound steadily improved) that served as the strongest reminder of Tenement and their increasingly distinct aesthetic.

From particular fiery renditions of “Violent Outlet” and “Spit in the Wind” to an absolutely on the mark run through “Dreaming Out Loud”, it was one of the band’s more impressive discography-spanning sets. Easily the best moment of the night (and the moment that reminded everyone this band is far from done) came during a new song that came to a quiet lull at its mid-section to allow Pitsch to rummage through his suitcase of random items (it was the same place he’d pulled the tambourine out of earlier) only to transfix everyone by emerging with a set of handbells. As the rhythm section quietly prodded him on, he carefully arranged groupings for each hand and, kneeling in front of the microphone, finally raised his hands to provide a moment of inexplicably eerie ambient noise that was full of the exact kind of strange energy that differentiates Tenement from most of their peers and makes them one of the most interesting bands on their circuit. It was the definitive moment of a set that absolutely justified the growing public interest (finally) surrounding them.

When Tenement had finished, it was Rio Turbo‘s turn up. There’s not really much to say about Rio Turbo without breaking it down as basically as possible; Rio Turbo is a band that seemingly consists of five members. One pushes a button to trigger a track, one sings along with the track, it seems the only purpose of the other three is to dance provocatively and lip-sync along with the sleazy glam-pop that oozes out of the speakers. There are three males and two females and all seem to project genuinely apathetic fronts so it’s difficult to get a read on whether or not they genuinely enjoy what they’re doing. If they do, more power to them, if they don’t then the act can be perceived as an interesting satire. Either way, there’s value for people that are interested in those two niche markets. They went through the motions of a six song set and definitely provided a few talking points among the growing crowd that was amassing for Screaming Females.

Screaming Females finally took to the Cactus Club stage and immediately sent the crowd into waves of excitement by virtue of Marissa Paternoster’s fretwork heroics. One of the two things that the New Brunswick band is most revered for (the other being her monster of a voice that can flip from winsome and sweet to a larynx-shredding scream on a dime). Having watched their stature (and amp sizes) grow over the past six or seven years has been an absolute pleasure and from the first notes onward, watching the crowd being whipped into an escalating frenzy was a gratifying experience. There are some bands whose talent is so raw and undeniable, that it’s impossible to not want them to succeed. Screaming Females have been one of those bands since their earliest recordings and to see them march through a set just as explosive as the one they played only a few short months back (again, alongside Tenement) in Madison at The Frequency is as good of a sign as any to the fact that they’re a band that will never dial a performance in. That said, it would’ve been easy to construe last night’s set as a sort of practice run for the band’s two-night Chicago stand at The Hideout (which will be recorded for a long-overdue official live release).

Their set at the Cactus Club was another great example of spreading a discography without providing too much emphasis on one particular record. This works especially well for a band as prolific as Screaming Females, as their are bound to be arguments over which of their five(!) LP’s is the best. For every two people screaming in support of the Steve Albini-produced double LP Ugly there may be three or four shouting the virtues of Power Move or Castle Talk (or vice versa). That said, there are a growing number of people who are there primarily to see Paternoster scorch her fretboard which is an element of music that seems to come natural to her and even energize her. There are several moments during a Screaming Females set where she will wield her wood-finish G&L like it’s a firearm, controlling it so completely that it’s frightening.

There are others where it seems to escape her, leaving her to writhe on the ground or come close to tripping herself over. All of which are elements that make Screaming Females a can’t-miss live act, especially when they’re an added bonus of an extraordinarily strong discography. Paternoster’s fiery stage persona is emphasized by the fact that Screaming Females’ rhythm section is as grounded as it is. While certainly not workmanlike to the point of boredom, bassist Jarrett Dougherty and drummer King Mike strike an appropriate balance between stoic and involved throughout their performances that keeps them visible when they’d otherwise be in danger of receding to the background. Helping matters is that they’re both immensely talented players who are capable of providing small moments as memorable as Paternoster’s large-scale performance.

Last time the band played Wisconsin, the highlights from their set were a new song that’s currently titled “Let Me In”, which is among the best they’ve ever written, and Power Move single “Bell”. Both were absent from their set last night in Milwaukee but were entirely made up for by ferocious versions of a pair of Ugly tracks; the propulsive “Expire” and the absolutely massive “Doom 84”. “Expire” appeared slightly retooled for a live setting, with an extended attention-snagging intro and a longer middle-section. Both additions were welcome, as Screaming Females have consistently conjured up bits of magic with their variations (and continue to do so). “Doom 84” has appeared towards the end of their sets for quite some time now- and for good reason. The song’s one of the longest, and boldest, in their catalog. At Cactus Club it was extended well past the ten minute mark, with the band growing more relentlessly passionate as the song progressed. Paternoster found herself teetering on the lip of the stage several times throughout, relying on the audience to keep her on the stage as she had her back to them, which they were more than happy to do.

When their set finally came to a close, there was no encore or indication that one would even be possible. They’d accomplished all they set out to do and the audience repaid their noticeable exhaustion in kind. People stuck around after, offered their admiration, respect, and thanks to each of the bands that had played. Old friends found each other for hugs, high-fives, and drinks. New friends were made. Everyone looked a different level of elated. There was no reason not to; it’s impossible to be upset at a night of memorable performances. Dinny Bulca showed promise, Rio Turbo proved intriguing, and both Tenement and Screaming Females delivered two blistering sets that further solidified their respective statuses as two of the very best bands currently going. Dinny Bulca and Rio Turbo will undoubtedly be making a few appearances in Milwaukee throughout these next few months. Tenement will be leaving for a tour out to New York where they’ll be playing alongside Screaming Females once more as a part of the Don Giovannni showcase. Screaming Females, as mentioned earlier, will be providing some lucky Chicago audience members with the experience of a lifetime as they take to The Hideout for a two-night stand to record a live record that’s worth being very, very excited about. As this show proved, once again, it’ll be memorable. Don’t miss it, Chicago.

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January 23, 2014

Perfect Pussy at Schubas Tavern – 1/22/14 (Live Review)

Four to six hours during the middle of winter, in a vehicle that runs minimum heat and has busted windshield wipers, is a drive that can only be prompted by something worth being incredibly passionate about. Throw in hazardous conditions (outside of general Chicago rush-hour traffic) and it’s enough to give anyone operating in the limits of sanity room for pause- but fuck pause and fuck sanity; Perfect Pussy is not worth missing. While that statement was closer to speculation than not until last nights blown-out set at Schubas Tavern, it now resides firmly in fact.

While the road conditions forced a late arrival that meant, sadly, having to miss both Broken Prayer and Split Feet, Perfect Pussy’s set immediately obliterated any lingering thoughts or feelings on that matter. After a very brief set-up time, vocalist Meredith Graves (battling a nasty spell of laryngitis) introduced Perfect Pussy before the band kicked off their set. What happened next is difficult to summarize in words, as the reactions their set prompted were closer to visceral emotion than coherent thought- but it’s worth an attempt, however unwieldy.

For 15-20 minutes, the crowd at Schubas careened into each other in a fiercely communal experience, driven by their shared love of the music that was happening onstage. Normally, the intensity levels of the band and audience at shows like this interact in a symbiotic manner, with each doing their part while feeding off the other until a climactic fever-pitch is hit (and, hopefully, sustained). This is where Perfect Pussy stands out. They subvert the notion of a symbiotic relationship by projecting their energy onto the audience instantaneously and the audience responds in kind. There’s no build-up, no long-con, just pure immediacy.

During their set, which at times bordered on noise so thorough that instruments became indistinguishable, the Schubas audience got most involved during “I” and “IV” from I have lost all desire for feeling. Despite the unavoidable fact that audiences tend to be more responsive to material they know, it was the newer material that stood out strongest. From an incendiary performance of “Driver” to a few more choices off of their upcoming record, Say Yes to Love, it was abundantly clear that the band really believes in the new material. That dedication and commitment manifests itself in every conceivable facet of their art, live performance included.

After a whirlwind set that saw no shortage of boundless energy and focused determination, it ended as suddenly as it began. There was nothing as glamorous (or contrived) as an encore because at some point, there’s virtually nothing left to say. Perfect Pussy hit that point a few times throughout the short amount of time they were onstage and looked completely spent after. Everything had been laid out and picked bare. If there was an audience member that didn’t know who the band was before they came in, they definitely knew by the time their set was reduced to nothing but a warm hum of controlled feedback. When a band can find the perfect resting point between an immediate and lasting impression, they’re worth paying very close attention to. When they can do it so frequently on so many levels? …let’s just say this wasn’t the first and definitely won’t be the last post on this site about this particular band.

Keep an eye on Perfect Pussy’s tour dates and see them as soon as possible, even if it means crossing state lines while driving with dangerously low levels of visibility. It’s worth it. A life without risk can frequently lend itself to a life without reward. Take risks; get rewarded; go see Perfect Pussy.

6 Comments

November 14, 2013

Nobunny at the Frequency – 11/11/13 (Live Review)

Expectations are a tricky thing. They can be met, challenged, exceeded, subverted, and failed. When there’s a history that expectations are built on, it may be easier to discern the outcome. Every now and then, though, something will come along and completely mess with that system. Having seen both Nobunny and The Hussy and what they’re capable of, it was best to cast any sort of prediction aside. New Years Gang, on the other hand, were a completely new prospect and subject to more intense scrutiny.

Their opening set would be the final time they took the stage together, as an internal breakup brought their road to an end. Tensions did seem to be running high but they still managed to generate enough momentum to cause a decent amount of celebration in the steadily-growing crowd. Last-minute changes were made to the set, demanding chants for shirtlessness were cast, and the band played in a loose manner that treated their brand of basement punk quite nicely. By their sets final moments, the earlier requests for more skin had been half-obliged, the band seemed truly done, and the crowd seemed satisfied.

After a decent pause between New Years Gang and The Hussy, the latter took off and hit the ground running. Having kept up with The Hussy since their first few months as a band, it’s been a pleasure to see reactions to their sets strengthen over time. This duo, made up of Bobby Hussy and Heather Sawyer, have been responsible for three of the best records to come out of WI over the past three years and in 2013, they unleashed their strongest to date, Pagan Hiss. Unsurprisingly, their set pulled mostly from that record but made sure to factor in cuts that spanned their still-young career. They paced their set perfectly and played more by fiercely than ever. True to form, their set ended with a jaguar on fire (which seems like a fairly apt metaphor for the ferocity of their set).

Then there was Nobunny. The masked marauder and his rotating cast of minions had been through WI a few times since capping off an especially memorable pre-wedding party a few years back and it showed. Years on the road can do wonders for presentation and Nobunny played up his unique angle for all its curious worth. Absolutely tearing through a gloriously ramshackle set of a career-spanning set has become second nature to the iconic rabbit. Flubbed notes and uninhibited glee were abundant and the energy pouring out of the band was reciprocated in full by the audience. Clad in only that demented mask, torn net stockings, two pairs of underwear, and a leather jacket (most of which were gone by the end of the night), he seemed unstoppable. At this point, of his ouevre, Love Visions is the only stone cold classic. That being the case, the rapturous reactions to standouts like “Chuck Berry Holiday” (which was introduced as “Elvis Presley Holiday”), “Mess Me Up”, “Nobunny Loves You”, and especially “I Am A Girlfriend” were well-warranted.

Of the remainder of his rapid-fire set, there were a handful of standouts from his more recent releases (most notably “Gone for Good”) that helped round a surprisingly accomplished set. Throughout the indeterminable set time the crowd had expanded considerably, letting loose like their life depended on it. People were continuously thrown into the stage, falling to the ground only to be immediately helped back up, and stage diving intermittently. For every new trick the rabbit onstage pulled out of his hat, the audience’s energy accelerated. When, for example, the outro to “Chuck Berry Holiday” came about two songs after it had originally trailed off, the place erupted. After “Nobunny Loves You” brought the whirlwind set to a close, the main attraction scampered off the stage and through the audience before re-emerging from the frigid November air through an emergency exit door to the side of the stage.

Nobunny and his band brought things to an appropriately fiery close (albeit not as literally as The Hussy) with the one-song encore of “Not That Good”. By the time everything was over, everyone was spent and smiling. Chaos seemed to inspire companionship. New friends were made, old ones rejoiced, and virtually everyone else got to go home with a few stories to tell. It was a night that saw one band come to a close, the next flourish, and the culmination of years worth of hard-won adoration for the main event. While The New Years Gang may be gone for good, here’s hoping that both The Hussy and Nobunny will be around for a long time to come.

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Tag: live review