Unfortunately, I had a night class, so Lesley and I got a relatively late start heading into the city. Although we were cutting it close, we figured that Neon Trees would be the first band on-stage because they weren't the headlining act, but sadly we were mistaken. We caught Ra Ra Riot's final songs and a satisfying view of Wes Miles's beautiful bod before the band exited the stage. Now what we were about to experience in the next hour was unlike anything we could have ever anticipated, let alone conjured in our wildest dreams. In two words, ladies and gentlemen, we give you: NEON TREES.
Lucy's Review:
I had arrived at the concert expecting at least a full hour of Ra Ra Riot, so I was obviously irritated at having missed one of my favorite bands. Even though I was not familiar with Neon Trees, I try to keep an open mind when it comes to experiencing new artists; after all, what better way to broaden your musical horizons and judge a band based on a purely raw, unbiased review of their live performance? Lesley was however, familiar with "Animal," one of their singles - which I'll admit isn't terrible. When Neon Trees took the stage, I instantly knew that I was in for either a huge treat or a serious misfortune. The lead singer Tyler Glenn, who was clearly on acid, pranced out in full-fledged fabulosity. For the most accurate image, consider a physical and stylistic mashup between Michael Jackson, Johnny Ramone, Prince, and David Bowie. Tyler's outfit choice was in a word: spectacular; he adorned his skin-tight pantsuit with a skinny red sequined scarf which he proceeded to lasso like a cowboy on ecstasy and playfully whip himself with like a sex toy. Tyler's dance moves were truly extraterrestrial; I will openly admit to enjoying the spectacle that was Matrix body-bending, stage-humping, and high-kicking, but Tyler's practically tyrannical need to dominate both the stage and audience completely overshadowed the presence of the other band members. I could hardly focus on anything other than than him, which made for a dramatic performance but negated the concept of a band. One redeeming quality to Neon Trees was their female drummer, Elaine Bradley. What encouraged me to give Elaine a second glance (and see past the blinding display of crazy that was Tyler Glenn) was her spritely enthusiasm and adorable punk-rock-femme persona. I've always had a great respect for female drummers (Meg White from the White Stripes, Kim Schifino from Matt & Kim) and Elaine's musical talent, as well as her badass stage presence, was undeniable. To be perfectly honest, Chris Allen and Brandon Campbell on lead guitar and bass blended into the sound equipment like unenthusiastic techies scared of overpowering their lead singer. It is difficult to describe the band's sound because each of their songs was so different; some were screamo metal rants adorned with pounding percussive intervals, others were punk-rock-inspired with a pop vibe. Tyler, a self-proclaimed "80's fanatic," professed his love for vintage icons and admitted to being a crazy dude on drugs, all while encouraging the crowd with motivational blurbs such as "don't let anyone tell you who to be" and "fuck the haters." In conclusion, while you won't find Neon Trees in my Top 25 Most Played on I-Tunes, I have to congratulate the band, mainly Tyler Glenn, on being true to themselves as artists and defending individuality and self-expression in a world all-to-often consumed by conformity and persecution. Rock on, Neon Trees, but I think I'll stick to Ra Ra Riot and Broken Bells for now.
We were SO ready for Broken Bells by the time they took the stage; the stylistic difference between them and Neon Trees is so drastic, it's almost comical. If you're not familiar with Broken Bells, look them up NOW. The band is fronted by creative duo Brian Burton and James Mercer (of The Shins), but they're joined by a full band when performing live. Lesley and I are obsessed with BB's trippy and dexterous yet rhythmic melodies (check 'em out in our RR Study Playlists!). Every time I listen to their music, I become lost in their songs - literally. Their sound is slightly reminiscent of Coldplay's Chris Martin and Neil Young on vocals mixed with a little bit of Spoon's Britt Daniel and some MGMT instrumentals; The Shins connection is audible, but hardly distracting. The electronic variations facilitate a smooth transition from one song to the next; the sounds are hypnotizing, and obviously even more captivating live. After the headache-inducing chaos of Neon Trees, I really appreciated BB's simplicity; they opened while standing in a simple line, jamming just as casually and passionately as if they were making a studio recording. Not one band member surpassed another - it was clearly about creating and sustaining a musical connection between audience and band. Again, if you are unfamiliar with Broken Bells, check out "October," "The High Road," "The Ghost Inside," "Sailing to Nowhere," and "Meyrin Fields." You'll thank us later.
Lesley's Review:
After dashing out of my evening class, throwing a concert-appropriate outfit together, grabbing some trusty Jack Daniels for the road, and running in the bitter cold to the bus stop to meet Lucy, I could comfort myself in the fact that in just a short T ride, I'd be swaying to the heart-wrenching sounds of the amazing band that is Ra Ra Riot. Too bad I was mistaken. I figured Neon Trees would be opening the show, but apparently they switched it up on us and Ra Ra Riot played first. We caught the tail end, so at least I got to hear a couple of my favorite songs, but I was disappointed. Granted, I've seen Ra Ra Riot twice already, but still... kinda upsetting. At least I had two more bands to look forward to.
I wasn't familiar with Neon Trees, aside from their single "Animal," but like Lucy, I'm open to anything, so I was excited to hear a new band for the first time live. I have no idea what song NT opened with, but all I remember is that it was loud. And off-key. And all around a horrible opening song choice. I laughed so hard when our friends Jen and Erica almost immediately got up and left. I chose to stay, however, out of pure curiosity. The scene that enfolded before my eyes was like a car wreck -- gruesome, but at the same time so fascinating that I couldn't look away. I actually started writing my review -- well actually, more like a list of adjectives to describe the lead singer, Tyler Glenn -- on my Blackberry as I sat there, watching with wide eyes.
The way Tyler was behaving as he performed was unreal. I could only assume that he was either on a lot of different drugs (I’m thinking a mix of a hallucinogen and an upper) or he was possessed by demons (evidenced by his constant alternate mumbling and shouting into the microphone in-between songs as he addressed the audience). Aside from his use of words like “tomfoolery” and what must be his favorite, “douche,” he could have been speaking in tongues for all I know. He started off his hour-long dance performance with a classic move, the can-can, except that he looked like a Rockette on Ecstasy. Tyler has super long legs and is apparently quite flexible so it was mind-boggling how high his kicks went. In general, his moves were the most bizarre I’ve ever seen. He simultaneously managed to resemble a sea creature (with his swirly arm movements), a broken Elvis (with awkward and erratic hip twists and swivels), and a chicken (with jerky head bobbing and neck thrusting) all at once. He also at one point started rocking back and forth on his heels in a squatting position like a mental patient as he sung, clearly very moved by the lyrics of that particular tune. He also managed to pull off a very-Akon like move and started dry humping the stage very energetically. And ladies, lemme tell you, part of me was attracted to his tall lanky frame and mohawk, but word to the wise, I can only imagine him being terrible in bed. I did really enjoy he flamboyant style, so props to him for that. He wore a red scarf, black skinnies, an embellished black blazer that I’d love to have in my own closet, and these amazing black glittery oxfords. He did however ruin the fashion aspect of the show for me as well when he started slowly stripping. And then when he somehow pulled out another glitter scarf out of thin air and started using it as a headscarf like some European peasant woman from the middle ages. The whole performance, from beginning to end was basically a joke. I give him credit for putting on a unique and attention-grabbing performance (he also was fond of smashing his head against the drum set cymbals) and I did get a lot of great laughs out of it, but I just couldn’t take NT seriously as a band. The drummer chick was really cool, but she, along with the other band members couldn’t compete with Tyler. Tyler stole the show and spent the whole time trying to be outrageous and different instead of delivering a good musical performance. They only had one good song, their popular single “Animal,” with the rest of their performance sung (i.e. shouted) relatively off-key, making me question if NT will ever be more than a one-hit wonder. Would I pay to see NT again? Not a chance. But if they happened to be opening for another band I was seeing I would stay and watch for a little while, and maybe, just maybe with some more good hits and a the help of a professional choreographer, I could begin to take them seriously.
As for Broken Bells? They were a drastic contrast to NT’s performance in all ways. They were calm, they were quiet, they didn’t dance, and they were AMAZING. I was blown away by how beautiful they sounded live. And also impressed by the talent of the band. Almost every band member could play more than one instrument, and so they seamlessly switched from instrument to instrument for each song. I loved it. Here was a band that sounded just as good live as in their recordings. There’s not much more to say about Broken Bells, aside from that they left me speechless, unlike NT who I could probably have gone on about for pages and pages more. Trust me, being left speechless is a desirable thing.
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| Our view of The Orpheum's stage |
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| NeonTrees. Tyler, the red and black blur to the far left of the picture, was difficult to capture due to stage lights and his fast and erratic dance moves. |
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| The Orpheum Theatre is so amazing. It was strange seeing a concert in a place that looks more appropriate for an opera, but also really neat. The ceiling was gorgeous. |
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| Broken Bells, playing in the dark. It was such a refreshing contrast to watch a band play with subtle but amazing skill and style. The lighting and stage effects suited the mood of their music. |
And of course, our style shots from the night!
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| Our friends Erica Shubin and Jen Yi looking concert ready! |
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| Lucy pairs Alexa Chung for Madewell seamed skinny jeans with homemade studded Converse, a deep armhole tank, a black Free People bra, and and H&M leopard cardigan |
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| Lesley layered a thrifted black and white checkered flannel shirt over a t-shirt dress from H&M paired with American Apparel micro-mesh two-sided leggings and black Nine West American Vintage Collection combat boots. She accessorized simply with a few silver rings, a floppy black beret from Akira which is her favorite Chicago boutique, and a cascading black feather headband from F21 underneath. |
