College Publisher Test Site

Issue date: 10/17/06 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Courtesy photo Drummer Brian Chase poses while Karen O applies lipstick.

Lead singer Karen O charges the Soma with enough bravado and energy to launch a rocket into space. The rest of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs do not possess half the on-stage presence as their vocalist.

The New York band opened on Thursday the 28th with a surprising first, the slow pick-up song 'Turn Into' off their latest and second album, "Show your bones" (2006). It is a good promise of what is yet to come. Unfortunately, the quality of the sound isn't the best.

It is too bad that lead guitarist Nick Zinner's taut and tense guitar play were mostly tucked away and hidden in a thick sonic barrage for most of the concert.

The first stand out song is the humming old school 'Cheated Hearts,' also of the band's latest.

The alarming 'Gold lion,' first single off "Show your bones," gets the job done without much fanfare.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs then leap into a barrage of old songs from their 2003 debut "Fever to tell," starting with the heavy-hitter "Date with a night." It sounds like a helicopter is taking off from mid-stage, providing the perfect springboard for Karen O (Orzolek) to fall into the ecstatic fits that made her famous.

Drummer Brian Chase's (who looks just like Jason Schwarzmann with a flair of menace) lofty drumbeat together with Zinner's razor-sharp guitars and synthesizers is the perfect counterweight to Karen O's antics.

To fit Orzolek's mood, she was wearing an insane black and yellow swimsuit-and-tights, and neatly draped with a multitude of scarves. She is all smiles and feisty attitude, looking like a decadent pixie-harlequin crossover.

During a highly entertaining version of 'Art star,' a song from their first self-titled EP (2001), the volatile Orzolek wears a disco-ball on her head.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs were backed up by Imaad Wasif on acoustic guitars, bass and additional keyboards. Wasif earlier opened the show as well, prior the 'half-time entertainment' of the Eagles of Death Metal.

Despite performing a strong set and showing a wide range of their songs, from their earlier material and up until "Show your bones," it feels as if something is missing. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are loud and they certainly bring the gusto, but so do a lot of other bands.

It is difficult to dispel the notion that the band probably could have pulled this set so far off in their sleep.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools