Bigger than the sound
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs triumph over the crappiest of venues, bonding old dudes and baby dykes in the name of rocknroll
By Caralyn Green
Published: August 26th, 2007 | 3:15pm
August 16, 2007 in Philadelphia — When I limped out of the Electric Factory — heels, apparently, are a bad choice for a rock show, no matter how hot they are — I overheard some silver fox remark that the night’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs onslaught was the best concert he’d seen in 20 years. Jauhien, our mohawked Venus Zine photographer and self-proclaimed “metal head,” even conceded that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are pretty great. And just about every Karen O-adoring baby dyke and Urban Outfitted lady in attendance sighed in unison, “That is what a frontwoman should be” — meaning we have a thing for insane, sexy goofballs who deepthroat microphones, perform smutified yoga and wear sequined leotards and capes made almost entirely of silver party streamers.
The Electric Factory is a massive and acoustic-destroying venue that even the Broken Social Scene corps failed to shake to its marrow this winter. So major props to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ‘cause they’re the first band I’ve seen there that actually managed to overcome the boomy soundsystem and the barren, cavernous ambience, thanks to relentless drummer Brian Chase, too cool guitarist/vegan vampire Nick Zinner, and Karen O, who had the crowd licking up whatever erupted from her sore throat. Yup, every time Karen O talked, it was all hoarse and whispery. So instead of straining to speak at a normal pitch, she shrieked, cawed, and yowled with enough ferocity to make both Siouxsie Sioux and GWAR proud. Ms. O’s energy was high throughout the hour-and-15-minute set, but did lag a bit in the middle, especially around the surprisingly tepid “Maps,” which, in a perfect world, would have been the show stopper.
The setlist spanned YYY old and new, pulling “Rich,” “Pin,” “Y Control” and “Date with the Night” from 2003’s Fever to Tell, the savage “Rockets to Swallow” and “Kiss Kiss” off this summer’s Is Is EP, and a ton off of last year’s Show Your Bones, including “Cheated Hearts,” which dominated “Maps” as the unhinged ballad of the night. “Sometimes I think I’m bigger than the sound,” Karen O crooned moments before rapturously rolling across the stage like she was rolling down a hill toward hell. Karen, sweetie, you’re not just bigger than the sound. As far as I’m concerned, you are the sound.
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Photos by Jauhien Sasnou
Issue #35
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