Cold Blood Club - Live Photos / Review from 7-23-13 Show at Bowery Ballroom / Next Show at Mercury Lounge on August 29th

It has been a little while since I’ve been to a show and been wowed by a band as, most of the time, the band will deliver a perfunctory and enjoyable set but there is no “wow” factor. I’ve seen too many bands over the years that can’t keep the energy levels high for the whole show, overstay their welcome by playing too long a set and/or (god forbid) attempt an acoustic / ‘unplugged’ mini-set in the middle of the show.

Brooklyn seven-piece band Cold Blood Club had that “wow” factor during their nine song set at Bowery Ballroom last month, where they were opening for Future Bible Heroes. Over the past year, I’ve heard great things about Cold Blood Club’s live set and it says a lot that, while the band was playing an opening/early slot, the main floor at Bowery Ballroom filled up quickly. (I still remember one show where the out of town opening band played to three people in the audience). It was riveting to watch the seamless interplay between three vocalists - founder/guitarist Tom Stuart and vocalists Brad Peterson and Kendra Jones. The high intensity of the band’s set left Stuart a shirtless, sweaty mess by the end of the night.



Cold Blood Club plays high-energy dance rock and, while the band get compared to acts like New Order (don’t hear it – Cold Blood Club has more of an organic sound) and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (maybe?), I thought they were more comparable to the B-52’s (without the camp) or Apes and Androids (without the Freddie Mercury meets Ziggy Stardust fetishes). It is with good reason that Deli Magazine called the band “almost too catchy for their own good”.

Cold Blood Club has a full-length disc coming out later this year entitled Tear Down the Maps, which was produced by produced by Charles Newman (Magnetic Fields, Future Bible Heroes). The band premiered the first song/video from this forthcoming disc, "Goodbye to All That", last month and this song also served as the closing number to the band’s set at Bowery Ballroom.



Cold Blood Club is playing a late show at Mercury Lounge on August 29th along with garage rockers Blue & Gold. Cold Blood Club goes on at 9:30PM and Blue & Gold take the stage at 10:30PM. Doors are at 9:30PM and tickets are $10.



Links:
Cold Blood Club

Apes & Androids @ Bowery Ballroom, May 30, 2008

After catching The Canon Logic at Arlene's, I headed over to Bowery Ballroom to see Apes & Androids. The show was sold out and the place was jam packed even before Reggie Watts took the stage.


After now having seen the band play live, I'm completely sold on them. I haven't seen anything quite like A&A. There are all these reviews on the 'net that compare Apes & Androids to Bowie or Queen but this comparison doesn't do justice to the band's live show.

Apes & Androids really know how to put on a show and they seem to be one of the few bands that appreciate the theatrical aspect of the show. At Friday's performance, there were strobe lights, glow sticks and glow balls, go-go dancers with day-glo hula-hoops and monsters. I have no idea what all the people in the white tunics were doing on the stage and the end of the set but they were interesting to watch as well. This was really a production (in the best sense of the word). The only other act that I have seen put on such an elaborate stage show is Alice Cooper.

There are some more pictures from the show posted over at Stereogum.

Links:
Apes and Androids' MySpace Profile
Apes and Androids' Website

Apes & Androids Are Playing Bowery Ballroom + Blood Moon CD Review

Apes & Androids are getting so much media buzz these days, I am surprised that there are still tickets available to the band's show next week at Bowery Ballroom. The show is Friday, May 30th and A&A are playing with Free Blood and The Forms. Tickets are only $13.00.

I've heard about Apes & Androids' over-the-top live shows shows for the past year or so but I never took the time to see the band play live so the band's debut CD, "Blood Moon", took me by surprise. (Given the number of CDs that I listen to in a given week, this really says something for the band). There are a number of reviews around the internet that compare the band to Queen but I honestly think the better point of comparison is George Clinton and P-Funk. George Clinton, with the full band, is the only act that I have seen hit the same oversexed electronic funked-up groove that Apes & Androids are playing in. This is wild stuff and I am looking forward to catching these guys live.

One of the standout tracks on the disc is "We Don't Understand You". Joly (from Punkcast.com) filmed the band's show at Studio B last year and posted a live version of this track to YouTube.



The band embraces such a wide variety of styles, I thought that I was listening to a different band as the CD first played through. Toward the middle of the disc, the band embraces more of a 80's West Coast punk/new-wave sound (a la Oingo Boingo). Check out Nights of the Week (which is a free download). "Johnny & Sarah" is another standout from this 'segment' of the disc.

The last third of the disc completely threw me as the band embraces a Coldplay/Radiohead sound. I'm not big on this style of music but "Doyle Is Dead" is a pretty cool song.

"Blood Moon" is truly a unique, stand-out disc and Apes & Androids have set the bar pretty high for a follow-up.

Links:
Apes & Androids' MySpace profile
Apes & Androids' Website