Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Henry Fonda Theater

April 27, 2003

For a band with only eight songs officially released, they managed to stuff 800 or so people in this place. I had a lot of fun at this show, although the front got kind of pushy towards the middle of the stage and a phalanx of funny smelling dudes just forced themselves in. Karen O spit water at me and I touched her glove hand when she extended it into the audience.

The band live sounds pretty much as it does on record, which surprised me. I was expecting it to get a bit more raw on stage (not that the baseline is really that polished to begin with). Instead, most of the difference is just watching Karen O’s onstage antics, which alternate between sexy raunch and just plain retardedness. She came on stage with her bra stuffed full of straws, which she then tossed into the crowd. She wore fishnets… but then topped it with a neon green top with a big superhero “Y!” on it, which made her look like a big piece of Bubbilicious. It was just that kind of act. Nick Zinner and Brian Chase were dead on in the performances, but when you’re fronted by that kind of monstrous persona, it’s hard to notice sometimes.

A week later, I must admit I remember very little of the content of the show… it was a great show of flash and thunder, but it really lacked any emotional punch for me. Even at their most reflective (“Maps”) or anthemic (“Our Time”), there was never a feeling that this was a unique experience. There’s nothing really wrong with that though, as bands that are able to deliver a good, solid energetic set are rare enough. My thoughts on the show were pretty similar to my thoughts after listening to Fever to Tell for the first time: This is a damn good band, but have yet to make the big jump to become a great one.

Posted in From Blown Speakers