The Bell House is one of the few venues tapping into the Park Slope, Brooklyn market nestled into the Gowanus industrial neighborhood. It has been around for a year now and has already proven a great spot to catch larger acts other than Manhattan or Williamsburg. With Western theme, a roomy concert space, elevated stage, and well stocked (reasonably priced) bar it has everything one needs when trying to catch some premium live music. The Islands, Das Racist, and Radical Dads managed to be just that on this evening.
Radical Dads were the opening act playing as I arrived. They’re a newer band with only 9 copies of their hand screen-printed CD available at their merch table. The band consisted of a singing drummer and two guitarists who provided the textures of the sound. This line up features members of Uninhabitable Mansions and one of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. They play a stripped down blending of the driving beats of pop punk with the crackle and distortion of shoegaze. They have a lot of potential if the feedback and reverb don’t drown out the rest of the songs.
Next up was wannabe cultural commentators, but more often than not party animals, Das Racist. It is not completely out of the question for a rap act to open for Islands based on their previous collaborations with rappers Busdriver and Subtitle to name two. However, tonight at the Bell House these guys seem sloppier drunk than their audience. They had a ‘hype man’ on stage with them ‘helping out’ with their choruses, and it’s always a gamble to invite someone who isn’t really in the group up with you. Their songs were mostly about not being white or black and how awkward that is. They were full of the clichés on could expect out of an over-educated, under-talented rap act; youtube references, (pretending to?) text on stage, and indie rock name dropping (we get it, both you and Devendra Banhart have long hair.). There seemed to be more novelty than substance here tonight. Perhaps it was the venue and the throngs of wooden fans waiting for Islands, but this was not the best environment to catch them in.
Islands took the stage right on time and in full form to a packed room. This version of the group’s line up is a much different touring band than the usual cast of characters. Cut are the violins and saxophone, traded in for a more streamlined synth sound. The stage presence was also different featuring lead singer and songwriter, Nick Thorburn (/Diamonds) in a rhinestone bedazzled white cape and retro-future sunglasses. This glammed out persona goes well with the new songs they showcased most of the set off their upcoming “Vapours” LP, due out September, 22nd on Anti- Records. The emphasis now seems more about guilt-free-pop-booty-shakers, rather than sprawling indie opuses. The four-piece band juggles instruments and singing duties as the set continues through the new tracks, which they note is the first time they’re playing for an audience. Despite all the theatrics Diamonds can still wail on his guitar and his sense of melody is impeccable. All but four songs are from the new album, but the oldies they chose to play were the goodies. The new arrangements of the songs may take some getting used to, as much of the analog elements to them have been switched to bleeps and bloops. Sometimes this works for the better, notably on “Creeper” and sometimes it just didn’t sit right. A guest appearance by pint sized rapper Despot during “Where There’s a Will There’s a Whalebone” spiced up the performance for sure. The energy was there for the whole set, right through the encore which an extended version of fan favorite “Swans.”
Full disclosure: this was my fourth time seeing Islands live; the first being when the band was touring supporting their first album “Return to the Sea” and then the subsequent tours at Siren Fest a couple years ago, and for their second album “Arm’s Way.” This performance was definitely the biggest departure from their previous work and was refreshing to witness the band taken in a new direction. It seems as though Diamonds can do no wrong so long as he follows his ears. The Bell House performance was the first date of a much longer national tour, I recommend checking out this act if they’re stopping at a venue close by.
more from this author
- Mike Bruno, Human Adult Band, & King Darves @ Freddys Backroom, Brooklyn, NY February 19th, 2010 - February 23rd, 2010
- Don Giovanni Records Showcase (Screaming Females, JEFF the Brotherhood) @ Bowery Ballroom - February 6, 2009 - February 10th, 2010
- Steel Train and The London Souls @ Brooklyn Bowl – January 2nd, 2010 - January 8th, 2010
- David Byrne Speaks Intimately on Creativity in Brooklyn - December 28th, 2009
- Longwave, The Grates, A Million Years @ Bowery Ballroom, November 14th, 2009 - November 16th, 2009
