It hasn't even been a year since TV on the Radio returned to the stage, but after selling out four intimate shows at Webster Hall late last year, it was great to see them come back to their old neighborhood and bring a lot of friends along to celebrate. Hosting a finely curated selection of Black performers to play in what has become, as Hannibal Buress put it, the blueprint neighborhood for gentrification, felt special and gave the spotlight to some much deserving artists.
Kicking off the day was Spellling, whose recent album from earlier this year deserves some real love, and she turned up the juice with a mix of '90s alt-rock glam and R&B beats. Going on early meant a smaller crowd, but that did not deter her from putting on an impressive set as her howls melted deliriously into the guitar tones and the harmonies from her backing singers made things come alive and certainly made those who arrived at the end of her set a bit jealous of missing out.
Moor Mother brazenly began her set with a new take of America's National Anthem and begged the question "Oh say, can you see MOTHERFUCKER?!? which in turn led to a passionate set of bold, evocative spoken word poetry over inspiring free jazz. Camae Ayewa is a poet of the ages and when she puts her words to music, she opens portals to new worlds. Blending Hip-Hop, Poetry, Jazz, and at times metal (though not for this performance), she's a stunning artist that provokes deep, introspective thought through her vivid lyrical imagery.
Rolling onto the stage with her violin and her bows strapped to her like bows for an arrow, Sudan Archives wielded her instrument like a weapon as she gazed out over the crowd and lit up the stage with a solo performance that had you forgetting she was the one making all the music up there. Hitting us with material from her forthcoming new album, she was here to engage the crowd and pump up the party vibes as she danced across the stage while finger-tapping on her violin like she was Eddie Van Halen.
With massive LED screens in place, Flying Lotus took to the stage and said "wow, I thought under a bridge was just gonna be some name, but damn y'all we're under a real bridge, this is wild!" From there he led us through a dizzying array of hard hitting beats that fully unleashed a rave within the crowd that had everyone bounding along to his twisted electronics. Thick, gelatinous beats made for a woozy sound, but still had people grooving hard and ready to dance the night away. It was an intense set and another example of the range of music that had been gathered for the day, but still a solid way to set up the headliners and main event of the evening.
As the beloved TV on the Radio took to the stage, the venue had really filled out and it was a real blast to be surrounded by folks who felt right at home amongst their neighbors and it was apparent that the band felt the same. A brooding "Young Liars" slowly rose from the stage to begin the set with an infectious howl as Tunde warmed up the crowd before the rest of the band came crashing in and from there on out, it was clearly TV on the Radio's night. Sounding loud and in pristine form, the band looked alive and fresh as if the past year of being back on the road still hadn't caught up to them, miraculously, and allowed for them to play an extended set with a bigger horn section to help make these songs really punch. "Golden Age" brought more of the vibes and the swelling sounds reached maximum heights for this one as the band buzzed and grooved oh so hard. The guitar lines were thick and fuzzy, their riffs ringing out like live wires and buzzing across the crowd while enriched bass held everything tightly together. Pulsating rhythms and deep grooves have always been a trademark of the band's sound and while you could imagine a lot of studio magic is part of the creation, the live show proves just how dynamic the band can be and to see them breath life into each of these tunes is always a sight to behold. "Dreams" from their debut Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes was another grand moment of the night and "Crying" was an interstellar jam that rocked us to the core. Personally, I'm of the opinion that "Wolf Like Me" should be played later in the set, but they insist on sticking it right in the middle and every time it goes off like a bomb as the crowd explodes with excitement as the revving guitar line injects a massive burst of energy directly into the veins of the set. It's a song already filled with motion, but the crowd really comes alive for this one and when the apex of "show you what all this howling's for" hits, the emotions hit the stratosphere. "This has always been an anti-fascist love song" said Kip Malone as he introduced a serene "Province," a song written in response to the Iraq War and the feelings are just as relevant today, a somber reminder at just how little has changed in twenty years and how our own government continues to make life feel hopeless for so many. Still, in the moment, the magic of the music was inspiring and lifted souls out of the bleakness and into the light. TV on the Radio helped to put Williamsburg on the musical map and Tunde made numerous callbacks throughout the night of how he wrote many of the songs being performed on South Second and Havenmeyer with his friend Dave (Sitek, who has sadly been sitting out of these reunion shows) and how the community has always played a huge part in the band's sound. Closing out the main set, "Satellite" rocked with more heightened energy and blasts of fuzz put this one a new level as well with Tunde rapping harder than ever while the band embellished the already enraptured sound. They returned and dedicated "Killer Crane" to their brother Gerrod Smith who passed away during the band's original run, but no doubt still remains a figure and a guiding light to the members still with us. Finally they brought things to a close with a monstrous "Staring at the Sun" which brought forth the grande finale the day and the band so rightfully deserved. During their initial run, TV on the Radio never reached the same heights as some of their "peers" in the Meet Me in the Bathroom scene, always still a bit more part of the underground, but if there's anything we've learned in the recent years, it's that the essence of this band still feels as pure and dignified as ever. They never compromised on their sound and have remained true to themselves, their fans, and the community from the beginning. To say it felt like a true homecoming is an understatement because in so many ways the band never left. Kip and Jaleel are still regular fixtures in the neighborhood and their energy remains as vibrant as ever.
Set list:
02 "Golden Age"
03 "Lazerray"
04 "Dreams"
05 "Crying"
06 "Wolf Like Me"
07 "Province"
08 "Love Dog"
09 "DLZ"
10 "Repetition"
11 "Satellite"
--
12 "Killer Crane"
13 "Trouble"
14 "Staring at the Sun"
No comments:
Post a Comment