By: David de Young
 Faux Jean and trapeze artist - Photo by Steven R. Wolf (http://www.othersideimages.com) - The full set of photos from this show can be found here or click the photo above. |
Members: Faux Jean (Matty Schindler) - Lead Vocals and guitar Official website: http://www.fauxjean.com |
Faux Jean has come a long way in the past three years. Founded in September of 2000, they were picked to click by the City Pages in 2001. I probably saw them 10 times in the past couple years not entirely knowing what to make of their eerily fun, dark side of the B-52's rock and roll; but more recently, they have come into their own, and somehow they are managing to fill the space created by their increasing legendary status. There is no question that this band is talented, serious and dedicated to their craft.
Cutting to the chase, this was a rock show complete with a mid-set costume change (from black to white uniforms), a clown, acrobats and trapeze artists. At the close of their Radio K Off the Record appearance on Friday, when I heard Matty suggest offhandedly that some of these things might be in store for us, I thought he might be kidding. (He also remarked that Faux Jean was continuing their tradition of "adding to the romance of the fake denim revolution.")
This was one of the most rockingly sublime CD release parties I've seen at First Avenue. Faux Jean worked their way through every song on their impressive new album, "Dead Lover" (Susstones, 2003.) From strong album openers "Waste Away" and the oddly pretty "Drunk and Stoned" Faux Jean stimulated the packed room whose appetite had been whetted by a moving performance by Astronaut Wife (whose live show seems to have improved by leaps and bounds since their CD Release in December), and Polara, (who never cease to amaze me--the fact that Ed Ackerson even has the time to maintain his own band while heading up the Susstones label is an achievement all by itself. In homage, I now wear a Susstones sticker affixed to the back of my scooter helmet.) I had arrived too late to catch openers, Basement Apartment.
I'm not sure if Faux Jean had clipped their songs to fit them all in, but they all seemed to go by in an instant. There was little in this set that might be considered filler. "The Ballad of Kim and Thurston" an ode to the indie philosophy of Sonic Youth--and my favorite song on the new CD--came off very well live. Guitar player Gene Wire has got the wandering eyes and 1,000-yard stare of a guitar superstar down pat. Opera-trained Jean Angel is one of the coyest and most fashionable female singers in town. Faux Jean himself (Matty) appeared as faux serious as ever. (I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds good.) Faux Wayne on bass looked like a reference librarian in disguise as a rock star. And recently added drummer Sean Hoffman is working his way onto my list of the top 3 rock drummers in this town (joining Peter Anderson and Dave King.) How Hoffman finds the time to drum for Viovoom, the Beatifics and now Faux Jean as well I just don't know.
"Sugar is Sweet" was one of the few rough spots in the set, only in that it could be tightened up a bit more. For "Unintouch," the band was joined by a violinist and cellist (Kari Dondelinger and
Margaret Hagg). And Angela Orluck and Janie Winterbauer from Astronaut Wife provided backing vocals. Then suddenly the 14 fashionable and fun-loving Faux Dancers joined the musicians onstage.
Schindler commented that they'd wanted to play every song on their album tonight which was why we'd been treated to so many slow ones, and said they were now ready to rock out. And that's exactly what they did with "Chartreuse Skirt," "G-a-go-go" and two encores.
And oh boy, those encores! The dancers were back for "Nature," which might be considered Faux Jean's signature song, also the title song of their previous Susstones release from 2002. Then came the final song, an mind-numbingly amazing cover of Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" with overwhelming audience participation on the "Oh no, let's go" lyrical hook. One audience member (hint: he's the co-host of a well local rock show on KQ) commented to me that, "covering Prince at First Avenue is like whipping your dick out on stage." Daring and dangerous, to say the least, by I'll be damned if it didn't send the room into a frenzy.
Don't expect clowns and trapeze artists at all upcoming Faux Jean shows, but clowns or no clowns you can expect a high energy, high quality, fashionably sweet and sweaty good time that's sure to steam up the windows and give you a good rock and roll elbow jab in the side.
Location Info:
First Avenue
Artist Info: Faux Jean
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