Saturday, September 26, 2009

Entertainment//Revel Hotel//White Light Lametta @ Coco66

Frankie Teardrop curated an excellent lineup last night at Greenpoint's Coco66, featuring electropop duo White Light Lametta; his own band, the increasingly sweepingly excellent Revel Hotel; and Athens, Georgia's dark, damaged darlings, Entertainment. Openers White Light Lametta were unexpectedly charming: the seductive synths and sexy monotone chorus of "U Wanna B My + 1" and their cover of the 80's montage classic "Scarface (Push It To the Limit)" completely won me over. Then came Revel Hotel, who have really come into their own, fusing decadent, glitter-dusted cabaret with jagged slices of heated electronic fervor. (The band's much anticipated debut EP, The Beating of the Wings, will be reviewed closer to its release.)

The marvel of the evening, however, had to be Entertainment, whom I'd heard on record, but never saw in the flesh. A slow burn of anarchic pleasures moving between pounding, tribal vigor and creeping, Gothic slither, few bands can make music this cold and abyssal so fiery and enticing. Frontman Trey Ehart switched between keys and guitar whilst alternating between seething seriousness, eyes piercing through the fog, and gleeful, devilish half grins - even efortlessly telling one heckler to "fuck off" with the same bratty bravado. Although I reviewed Entertainment's most recent release, Gender, for The Big Takeover, the band's sound live comes across as more vital and unique. Not merely a tarted up younger sibling of Christian Death or the Virgin Prunes, Entertainment forge beyond their influences with inimitable style, snapping sonic sinew in their wake, leaving listeners bruised and scorched in an auralgasmic aftermath. Post-show, you'll likely require a frozen cold shower.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heckler: Play something good!

Trey : We don't know anything good, so fuck off!

frankie teardrop said...

comment of the night, for sure.

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