The Phenomenal Handclap Band at Joe's Pub
NPR Music hosted a splendid showcase last night at Joe’s Pub featuring Lee Fields, Fight the Big Bull, and The Phenomenal Handclap Band.
We caught Richmond, VA’s Fight the Big Bull first. Their performance was wrought with experimental jazz fusion, but fortunately it was the mirthful kind. The all-instrumental performance incorporated a seven piece brass section, double percussion, as well as plenty of laughs and facial hair.
The evening’s biggest draw was The Phenomenal Handclap Band, who have been designated by many critics as the premiere dance-rock collective of 2009. Their stylized electro-funk/rock is reminiscent of ’70s psych and soul, but also smacks of the same kind of exotic indie flair that makes imports like CSS and New Young Pony Club so irresistible. The group’s repertoire is a bit limited at the moment, and the audience heard most of their just-released self titled debut LP – including fan favorites “15 to 20″ and “You’ll Disappear.” While we couldn’t quite detach ourselves from the sexy tambourine-wielding girls in the group (wonder if they ever fight about who has the chicest outfits?) the evening was an intimate and enjoyable affair.
And best of all? You can stream the concerts here if you missed out. More photos after the jump…
Fight the Big Bull
The Phenomenal Handclap Band
All images by Clarissa Roudabush
Umm…. what? Reading this review one would not realize that the headliner of the evening was Lee Fields and The Expressions: a classic-form [i.e. direct lovechild of James Brown and Otis Redding] soul singer backed by a band as tight as a little boy’s asshole. I assume you left before the real show began? Thankfully NPR streams the whole thing, so you can catch what you missed.
The audience response to Fight the Big Bull was pretty lukewarm, and The Phenomenal Handclap Band was nice but entirely harmless ‚Äî a hometown 4th of July celebration band my dad would tap his foot to while drinking a Bud Lite. I could picture a great show by transcribing their music and handing it to a band with perceptible grit and charisma (calling you, DFA). You were right about the girls, but I was thinking more “cute-girl-in-band-affirmative-action + a few surprisingly good guitar moments.” Trance-inducing leather pants. Oh, and don’t forget their grooviest number to a rousing chorus of “I’m born again!” which in 2009 left me with a metallic aftertaste. This is the second time I’ve seen them open for someone else, and I still can’t remember much else.
Lee Fields gave it his all despite a good 10 minutes of mic troubles at the start. There is nothing innovative about what they do ‚Äî they’re just damn good, and for me that was enough. Whenever the stage lights turned green, he seemed really animal: singing his vocal chords out, covered in sweat. His church/R&B/whatever audience participation felt a little strange and formulaic on an almost entirely white NPR crowd, but I think people genuinely got into the fun of “put your hands in the air!” since the groove was there. Listen to his performance of “Ladies” (@ 25:50) ‚Äî it’s clear that he means every word, and there was some blushing going on in the crowd for sure.
who dude. chill it down. you got a blog?