I was not sure of what to expect from this night. There was a nice mix of genres at the Donkey this past Thursday, and let me tell you, it meshed together quite nicely.
The lineup was Barnaby Jones(punk/hardcore), Vision Through Sound(experimental indie), Hazmat Bay (reggae), Whack (instrumental polka ska), and The World Inferno Friendship Society (ska?).
The place was pretty full for a weekday night, the number of tickets sold were over 200. Most of the people there were kids, and they only had one bar open in the back due to this. Being an all ages show does not take away from the energy in the room at all though, and on this night the place was moving with bodies.
We came in at the end of Vision Through Sound's set, and you should totally check them out, their cd is amazing. Next up was our friends, Hazmat Bay. They totally killed the crowd. Everyone was grooving to the guitar solos and the feeling of reggae was in the air. I got lucky enough to be invited on stage to take pictures, and they came out great.
Whack, kinda stood there. It was interesting seeing an accordion on stage, and when the lead singer got in front of the microphone to "sing" it was really captivating. But other than that, it sounded like a lot of noise. I totally was bobbing my head to the beat, just not totally feeling the ensemble. Check them out, very skankable music.
NEW EDIT
Due to comments on this blog, I've decided to go into more detail of why Whack didn't float my boat. For one thing, I couldn't hear any of the breakdowns. It sounded like a high school music class when everyone is first trying to learn a song. Granted Whack has been around for a little, and they have recordings and a following. However, Linkin Park also has hundreds of thousands of fans, and they still kinda suck live. But I'd rather have seen them because they have stage presense, and Whack did not. After the show I listened to the Whack recordings and at least these I can enjoy what they sound like. They play music that can rile up a lot of different emotions, although I wish they had better recording quality. Once they can get into a professional studio and really put their music together they have some really marketable music. HOWEVER, bringing that studio sound to a live show is difficult, because the fact is you record each instrument seperatly. If you can't come on stage and play in sync, you sound like NOISE with a beat thanks to drums and bass.
/END EDIT
The World Inferno Friendship Society was pretty cool too. I did not know what kind of music they played, and I still can't really put
my finger on it. Mostly ska, but there were heavy rock undertones and even some cabaret in there. The crowd ate them up. They knew all the words, the pit was HUGE, people were flinging themselves into the air off of chairs, it got crazy when they hit the stage.Yet another great show at the Donkey. Check out the PICTURES.
Having seen Whack upwards of 50 times, calling their set noise is one of the most ridiculous ways I've ever heard them described. Maybe you'd like them more recorded.
ReplyDeletewww.myspace.com/whack6
Many of their songs are composed as one would an orchestra, with alot of complicated layers.
Probably one of my favorite bands to see of all time.
When you say Hazmat Bay "killed" the crowd, I hope you meant that as in "boner kill."
ReplyDeleteAlso learn some new adjectives. I've never heard Whack, or any other band described as "skankable."
you have no conception of genres or anything remotely close to an accurate idea reflecting upon the music at this show. Hazmat Bay was honestly one of the worst live bands i've ever seen in my entire life. Generic sublime rip off, nothing like real reggae or ska. Stop reviewing music if you know nothing about it.
ReplyDeleteNice - some real hating going on here. This means you are doing a good job with the blog.
ReplyDeleteAs the very hatable Kanye West says on his song "Bring Me Down" - "Everybody feel the same way about K but at least y'all feel something"
Seeing Whack in this envrioment, on a gigantic stage with a barrier between them and the crowd was very different then any other Whack show. They're used to playing with the audience in their face, sometimes literally, knocking over their ecquiptment, and often time band members. On New Years Eve, Whack played and the kids were climbing the walls, hanging from the ceiling, swinging from ropes, dancing with everyone in the room, and as the clock struck midnight, and Whack's song C# minor peaked, the screams of happy new year acted as an accompniment to the song.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSQktiT47b4
a video of said event.
Maybe you should try and come out to one of their shows in a Brooklyn garage, a loft space, a much more personal and smaller venue where the band's energy and passion is enough to make the crowd go wild, far much more then they did this past week at the Crazy Donkey.
Some say that Whack shows are becoming What World/Inferno shows used to be. A chatoic event where anything could happen, where kids circle pit around a lit bonfire in a Brooklyn apartmnet, where strangers could meet that night and dance the night away, and by the end of the show feel like they've known each other for years. Being able to have experiences like these at shows is what makes a band truly special.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I by all means respect yours, I just wish to try and demonstrate that Whack isn't some run of the mill punk band, and that their songs can by no means be classified as noise. Come out to their next Brooklyn show and see that their more then just noise. I think you could grow to really enjoy them if you're open to truly new and different music.
http://www.ak35mm.com/thepositivepunx/?p=143
ReplyDeletejust an idea of their reception.
I also congratulate you for being hated on in this blog. At least people are taking the time to discredit you instead of pass you by. I am always the one stirring the pot as well, not watching it boil.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that a band should only sound good in a particular venue. If they sound good around a small bonfire in a Brooklyn apartment then they should certainly sound even better at a venue like the Crazy Donkey where they have a professional sound guy, lights, and a nice stage that gives them the opportunity to perform whichever way they choose.
People are always entitled to their opinions. Especially if they actually LIKE a particular band but think that they sounded like crap live. To the first "Anonymous" up there--of COURSE you'd like them better recorded! Let's face it people---this happens A LOT. We expect too much from the over-produced recordings we here and we are let down by their less than up to par performances.
I commend you for speaking the truth. This is why we are chosen to do the job that we do.
See you at Silverstein tonight (who are AWESOME live, by the way!)
-Ali Post
Sunday Rock !