Live at CMJ 2008: Brooklyn Vegan takes over Knitting Factory
I headed to Brooklyn Vegan’s third and final CMJ event with two goals in mind. One, I wanted to cap off the final day of the CMJ Music Marathon with a bang and two, I hoped to discover three acts that I could come back and write abut. Little did I know however, that the first three bands I caught, would be the best three of the day.
Think Bloc Party, just actually good. That’s probably the best way to describe the Canadian duo better known as The Carps. Their clever blend of punk meets hip-hop proved just what the doctor order in early hours of the day - well, if you consider 1:00pm early. Backed by the the rhythms of bassist Neil White, which were as stellar as his improv dance moves, Jahmal Tonge exemplified that a drummer can sing quite well - even when spewing ferocious beats. And though more than a few of the audience members were still battling early morning hangovers, The Carps had little problem getting everyone in on the fun.
Little Boots kept the dance-friendly beats going, echoing the intensity of Hot Chip with the elegance of disco for a groovy 30 minutes of pulsating electro-pop ballads. Victoria Hesketh, the group’s fearless leader offered a bit of Madonna appeal, both in looks and sound, allowing the performance to be not only pleasant on the ears, but the eyes as well. Even after the last traces of electricity flowed from the speaker, there was little doubt this would be the last time Little Boots would make their way to New York. Only next time, one has to think Hesketh’s status will have changed from talented up-and-comer to a full-fledged indie sensation.
It’s easy to see why Delta Spirit has caught the ear of such names as Cold War Kids, Clap Your Hand Say Yeah, and Dr. Dog. The five-piece outfit from San Diego not only oozes talented, it kicks ass live. Though each member appeared a bit worn - perhaps a result of the band’s recently completed two-month tour or the fact that they had just had rolled out of bed - Delta Spirit showed no signs of fatigue, blitzing the downstairs with an alt-rock sound that just leaves you numb.
Check Out:
The Carps - “Heaven’s Gate Hell’s Flames” (Remix w/ The Cool Kids)
Little Boots - “Meddle”
Delta Spirit - “Streetwalker”
The Carps:
Little Boots:
Delta Spirit:
Shout Out Out Out Out:
Pretty damn cool! I like the pictures, looks like a fun band!
Yeah. I figured that out, but her backing band is quite solid as well.
hey dude! sounded like a good gig! just though id let u know that little boots is actually just victoria hesketh herself as a solo artist(& a bloody amazing one at that!)she also does amazing covers on youtube with her mad collection of sythesizers & sequencers=)
Nov 14th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
[...] how we see it. On November 19th, Matthew Caws and Co. will embark on a month-long stint with CoS favorites Delta Spirit and The Jealous Girlfriends, which will be highlighted by three performances in [...]
Nov 6th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
[...] of her appearance at the CMJ Music Marathon, Little Boots, aka Victoria Hesketh, will soon take the next step in forever ridding our minds of [...]
Nov 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 am
[...] like every spare moment is dedicated to the fest and no time can be wasted. I spent the day at the Brooklyn Vegan Party at the Knitting Factory with Alex, but had to cut out evening shows (including the final night of Neverender) to attend a good [...]