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The Lovely Public, Merch @ The Knockout 07/05/07 |
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Thursday, July 12 2007 |
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THE LOVELY PUBLIC
MERCH
DJ WHITE HEAT
THE SEA CAPTAIN
The Knockout
July 5, 2007
My expectations were set high for The Lovely Public's live show for several reasons: First, I’ve listened to the album again and again, and I can’t get enough of it. Second, several friends with high-quality musical taste have recommended I see them live. Lastly, because when I added them on myspace.com Jason – vocals and guitar – rocked my world by posting a quote from the movie Heathers on my page. Obviously these kids are cool.
 Opening the show was a cello rock band, Merch. I was excited at the notion of a cello rock band, and the songs posted on Merch's Myspace showed promise. But it was a promise that just didn’t translate live. Yes, the lead singer’s Friar Tuck haircut and intermittent high kicks were distracting, but nothing could change the fact that Merch sounded off.
In between sets the crowd was treated to the stylings of resident DJ’s White Heat and The Sea Captain, with special guest DJ Miss P. DJ White Heat never disappoints and always brings the magic. Decked out in 80’s running gear complete with leggings, tube socks (pulled up over the leggings), and some sort of plastic poker dealer visor, White Heat got the people off their stools and onto the dance floor. He knows just what to play to get the hipsters moving and grooving.
Once The Lovely Public took the stage the audience moved in, suddenly at attention. I love the eclectic sound of The Lovely Public; each song conjures a different influence and emotion. Their genre-hopping sound suits my label-hating sensibilities and produces a very interesting voice. The first song of the set took me straight back to high school with its heavy Breeders-esque qualities, dreamy and hard all at once. Other songs remind me of indie poppers Deerhoof and Sonic Youth. The lovely Public manages to create an unpredictable sound full of ever-changing riffs and tones while remaining relatable and catchy.
There is no felicity in the world greater than when a band truly rocks live. It’s the kind of occurrence that causes a goofy grin to distort my face for hours. The Lovely Public’s combination of lo-fi, indie rock, punk, and noise pop had the crowd rocking out hard. So hard that one bearded hipster in a teal corduroy coat with elbow patches crashed into the stage more than once, overtaken as he evidently was with that all-too-deadly combination of appreciation and beer. It would have been slightly more amusing had he not spilled beer on their equipment. Enthusiasm he had, coordination he did not.
Anyway, I can now say that The Lovely Public does not disappoint live. When it’s all over, all I want is more.
“I’m worshipped and I’m only a junior” –Heather
[Katie Kaapcke]
[STREAM] The Lovely Public : Various Tracks
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Friday August 29th
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Sunday August 31st
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The Blank Tapes, Le Switch (LA)
Thursday September 4th
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Friday September 5th
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Man/Miracle, Religious Girls, Ty Segall, Tea Elles, Railcars, Buzzer
Saturday September 6th
Kimos
The New Centuries, Raccoons, Pentacles, Boom Snake
Go to full Calendar
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