Interlude: Rave On

It's generally been a solid gamble to go to a show without being familiar with the lineup. There's something really gratifying about hearing a band for the first time in a live setting and doing away with the inevitable . With nothing really planned 'til CMJ (and the National's trio of shows selling out), I figured it'd be a fine choice to spend another night at the Bowery Ballroom, despite my ignorance regarding the lineup. Major thanks to Luke for making it possible. Check out additional coverage at That lightning bolt was mine.

Gliss

Los Angeles trio Gliss opened, and they were fantastic. Militant, Interpolesque drumming and guitar slashes accompanied Martin Klingman's breathy vocals, fusing two of my favorite styles. After the first song, the entire band rotated instruments, with Martin taking over drums, Victoria Cecilia switching to bass and David Reiss picking up the guitar. This was done incredibly seamlessly, and the band sounded great no matter who was on what instrument. There was so much momentum to the set - in this case, I'm afraid the recordings don't do the band justice - and it was clear that the crowd was won over mid-set. The band played for a solid hour, but it was over too soon.


MySpace: Gliss
Official Site: Gliss

Nicole Atkins

Nicole Atkins defies categorization. The Garden State songstress delivered a strong set, shifting from restrained, twangy country burners to more rousing pop songs with ease. Her four piece backing band was great, and surprisingly loud at times, but Nicole's powerful voice was the centerpiece of the set. The occasional backup vocal from keyboardist Daniel Chen (whose nickname is apparently "Cashmere," as Nicole whispered to the crowd) was also a nice touch. The banter between songs was charming but accessible, as Nicole compared her bike-tire outfit to an item that will not be mentioned here, and singled out an audience member in the front and asked if she was having a good time. Nicole would eventually cover Patti Smith's "Pissing in a River," a song I'm unfamiliar with, but she definitely pulled it off well.


MP3: Nicole Atkins - Party's Over
MP3: Patti Smith - Pissin in a River
MySpace: Nicole Atkins
Official Site: Nicole Atkins

The Raveonettes

The Raveonettes were all about minimalism. The core duo of Sune Wagner and Sharin Foo were joined by a drummer who pounded on a two-piece drum kit, leaving a lot of room on stage. The percussion was limited simply because of the setup, and the guitars fuzzed out more often than snarled, but things settled into a hypnotic, nocturnal groove. Sune and Sharin harmonized well, and while their words were indistinct, the melodies were nice. A pretty cool moment occurred towards the end of the set, when the band covered Stereolab's "French Disko." Again, the lyrics were a bit lost in the mix, but the essence of the song was there. I wasn't enthralled for the entire hour of the set, but the Raveonettes are one of the more distinct bands out there, both visually and musically.


MP3: Stereolab - French Disko
MySpace: The Raveonettes
Official Site: The Raveonettes