“Who knew it was possible to crowd surf under 10 foot ceilings?” Sleigh Bells frontwoman Alexis Krauss was full of surprises as she and guitarist Derek Miller rocked a sold-out show at the intimate – and low-ceilinged – Webster Studio Monday night. Krauss finished out a heart-pumping, sweat-soaked set as she leapt into the 300-person crowd of thronging, sweat-soaked hipsters midway through the band’s hit song, “Treats.”
It was the final thrill in a short but heart-pumping set from the much buzzed-about Brooklyn-based noise pop band, which became an indie darling practically overnight after the release of their first album, Treats, last May.
“This next song is a dance song, so I need everyone to fucking dance!” Krauss howled as she launched into the first chords of “Tell ‘Em.” Easier said than done in the shoulder-to-shoulder sprawl, but the gleefully disheveled crowd didn’t seem to mind getting a little scuzzier.
Krauss was by turns exuberantly energetic and erotic as she powered through hits including “A/B Machines,” “Rill Rill,” and Kids.”
“You guys hot?” she purred before showering the crowd with the contents of her water bottle. Krauss’ high-octane vocals and Miller’s snarling, stomping guitar provided the power for a gritty, raw, and unapologetically heavy show.
For a newcomer like Sleigh Bells, the band’s only shortcoming is a lack of material. Last night’s set only lasted around 40 minutes – which is understandable, considering that their debut album is only 33 minutes long. “We wish we could play more, but that’s all we got!” a halfway apologetic Krauss told the crowd.
Sleigh Bells did thrill the concert-goers with one new song – see it (and the rest of the performance) streaming here at MTV.com starting later today.
