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It’s been Bloc Party’s week on RCRD LBL. First of all, we brought you Armand Van Helden’s Remix of Bloc Party’s track "Signs". Second, we saw them perform live with our friends, NY natives Longwave on Wednesday at Terminal 5. That night, Terminal 5 transformed into a spaceship-sized sardine can, packed with wiry, excitable teenage and adult fans - a solid mix of kids-who-play-guitar-hero-too-much and Bloc Party fanatics. Needless to say, the two bands brought the house down. More pictures and words below.
Longwave @ Terminal 5
(Above Photos: Loren Wohl)
Listening to Longwave alongside Bloc Party, you can hear the tonal similarities - pounding drums propelling throbbing, shoe-gazey guitar segments. Longwaves’ name aptly describes their music. That said, opening with their music was like of like giving speed freaks Adderall to satiate their cravings — their music appeared to be too slow-building for Bloc Party’s boisterous fans; the crowd kept fidgeting and shouting for Bloc Party to come onstage during the set.
It’s a shame because the members of Longwave have been around the NY scene way before Bloc Party even stitched together a hook (Remember the "golden era" of NY rock when The Strokes were downtown kings?) It’s about time they get their own time to shine and they’re on the right track touring with big names like BP and working with notable producers Peter Katis (Interpol, Tokyo Police Club) AND Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT) on their new album.
(Above Photos: Faith-Ann Young)
Bloc Party @ Terminal 5
Wide-jawed Kele Okereke
Drummer Matt Tong
Bassist Gordon Moakes
Kele
Crowd
(Above Photos: Loren Wohl)
Bloc Party pretty much has their concert formula down pat: Drill the kids with quickening drum rhythms and guitar hooks, let Kele frolic in the crowd a bit, throw in two drummers eventually, bow, smile and go. Gets a standing ovation every time. That was pretty much the show Wednesday night and the formula held fans way past bedtime, jumping zealous through the 6-song encore finale.
Bloc Party kicked off Wednesday with a bunch of songs off their album Intimacy. Around song 8, the middle crowd got rambunctious and started to mosh. (If Bloc Party is moshing music these days, does that mean guitar-hero-playing kids are today’s rebels?) Bloc Party has jazzed things up a bit this tour- having shipped with them an extravagant arrangement of special flower-shaped lights from England. But in the end it’s Kele’s charisma and the band’s solid musicianship and quick, building hooks that ride in your memory post-show.The whole crowd open-jawed a wild applause as the party came to an end.
Kele walking onstage
Set List
Finger magic
Russell Lissack
Can you pick out the Guitar Hero fans?
Kele briefly crowd surfing
And the crowd goes wild…
Farewell and Good night.
Bloc Party - Signs (Armand Van Helden Remix)
Previously:
Bloc Party - She’s Hearing Voices
Bloc Party - Helicopter (Weird Science Remix Featuring Peaches)
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