No Kids & Silje Nes at Mercury Lounge, photos
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Download “The Beaches Are Closed” | There’s bound to be a lot of talk about Vancouver’s No Kids this year. At Mercury Lounge I was certain the stage seemed too modest for the trio, and what the room was witnessing was sure to pale as “humble beginnings” in no time. They played with two sets of keyboards (one Nord Electro, two Yamahas) and a drum set. For such an onslaught of jangly key tones, and by jangly I mean nightmarish purple infused with rainbow swirls, the band packs quite a load of funk. And despite the innocence the big glass rims convey on singer Nick Krgovich’s face, he packs his own brand of tude. I found his dance moves to be a secret door to the music: every flick of his feet and every little angle of twist and lean his upper body made (he didn’t miss a beat) was a complete impression of the music’s imprints. In his moves you could visualize the negative space of the sounds they were creating; yes, if he were a block, you’d slather him with ink and press him against paper to decode the odd songs. It’s hard to tell if they’re being humorous about the R&B/soul/hip-hop flavor or if they’re simply digging it.
All photos after the jump
The crowd that seemed to be there for The Dodos enjoyed No Kids, but I sensed a question mark lingering in the room: “Now, what’s this?“. No Kids is an exciting band, and I can’t guess what they’d come up with in two years. But it’s going to take me some time to understand the greatness, which I do know they possess.
Next date: 4/9/2008 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Dirty Projectors.
Download “Ames Room” (from Yellow EP and Ames Room)
Soft-spoken Norweigan multi-instrumentalist Silje Nes was composed and in control of her breezy, moody music. The layered elements were all Scandinavian sweetness, and her delicate voice helped carry the songs. But the drumming was incredibly sloppy at times even though its original placement in the composition seems to have been complimentary. Overall the set wasn’t too engaging, however. It would’ve been nice to see her own the stage with her breathy tunes instead of demurely seating herself on the right of the stage.
No Kids
Silje Nes
I did not make it on time for Overlord.
Mercury Lounge, April 6, 2008.
