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August 31, 2007
Shocking Pinks - Live @ Orchard Bar, New York City, 08.15.07
All of the advance warning for Shocking Pinks' first ever New York City show consisted of a last day MySpace bulletin, a late afternoon PR e-mail, and a humble post from the Brooklyn Vegan. Considering that this non existent push was for a band whose pre-existing records are totally unavailable even in the wilds of New York, it would be fair to say that if you weren't deeply in the know, you weren't gonna know. It probably should have been obvious to us that there was no way that this impromptu event was going to be prompt. We sat in the tiny Orchard Bar, nursing waters and head colds for over an hour before our more intuitive and snugly panted contemporaries filled the room to the degree that the thing could begin.
Frontman Nick Harte, managing to look painfully goth even in a Paul McCartney t-shirt, stood to the pink lit stage's far right, while members of New York City's Panthers set up stage left as his makeshift (but probably ongoing) live band. The visual disparity between the band and its leader was stark. Harte; rail thin, sleepy, and introverted. The Panthers; stocky, sweaty, and intense.
Sonically, the two factions were on seperete pages as well. Aborted set opener "Emily" sounded thick and confused until it was called off entirely, as the band was apparently playing a completely different song. An understandable gaffe considering there'd only been less than a week for the unit to gain coherence, but kind of a rough break in context. The game of hipster telephone that was the gig's advertisement ensured that there were at least two cameras to every four attendees capturing every false step for prosperity (if that's what getting posted on various music websites can be called). Once the kinks were worked out, the short set was indeed buzz worthy.
Replacement opener, "Victims," was quick and rad, Harte's imploding shoegaze posture bizarrely matched with the bounding enthusiasm of his troupe. They added muscle to his thin but gorgeous DIY melodies. "This Aching Deal" was transformed from bedroom New Order, to well, louder bedroom New Order. "How Am I Not Myself," "End of the World," and even another go at "Emily" were all immensely charming and romantic with a second guitarist handling all of the record's keyboard melodies. The added six string textures made everything seem impossible dreamy.
The show ended in an orgy of feedback wankery, each guitarist crouched in front on an amp, back to the audience, pounding in rapid down strokes like twelve year old boys in the throng of self discovery. The white noise continued for four or five minutes, long enough for people to start filing for the exits. But you can't have an event designed solely for buzz and interest piquing without a little self indulgence can you?
Expect to hear much much more about the band as their DFA debut compilation Singles nears release.
Shocking Pinks - "End of the World"
Previously:
"Like a Movement Without the Bother of All of the Meaning," "Video: Shocking Pinks - "End of the World"
Posted by Jeff Klingman at August 31, 2007 01:00 PM
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