What’s become of our nation’s hippies? Just a few years back it seemed that there was nothing they liked better than to enjoy some good music, fun times and lethargy inducing drugs. Now, at the Man Man concert on Friday night I find that I am fighting these same long-haired former pacifists for my life. Did someone lace their mushrooms with rage-inducing steroids? Is alcohol induced violence the new hackey sack? Maybe. Or maybe these characters at the show weren’t really hippies…
The set at the Varsity Theater started innocently enough. Brooklynese up and comers Yeasayer opened the show, a band that will probably be headlining more shows than supporting in the near future. Yeasayer creates a musical blend that they describe as “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel.” With an experimental, New Wave, Electronic and world music influence, the band brings to mind the Talking Heads. Led by frontman Chris Keating, the band covered a number of songs from 2007’s release: All Hour Cymbals, one of the more promising debuts of the previous year.
Probably my favorite part of the show, Yeasayer left the audience entranced. Part of me felt like I was getting nostalgic for James Murphy’s “unremembered eighties” while the other was just sonically mesmerized by their skilled instrumentals and dark onstage persona.
The rapture didn’t last for long though, since as soon as Yeasayer left the stage someone cued the drunk horde of war painted goofballs to descend upon us for Man Man’s headliner set. After being crushed against the stage for several minutes by the throngs, I had to forcibly retreat to the old folks section of the club where I could wipe off the sweat and spittle that accumulates wherever there are too many excited young men in close proximity to one another.
While I am tempted to describe Man Man’s set by a quote from a friend who was at the show: “nothing more than glorified college party rock,” I think that actually describes the fans more than the music. While the Philadelphians play a zany and intense brand of gonzo “Zappa-esque” pop, it doesn’t take too discerning of an ear to notice that the band members are talented instrumentalists. If you listen below the cacophony there are some understated strikes of brilliance, from a cowbell here to a penny whistle there. Overall the sound can be overwhelming though, and I wonder if the band couldn’t have more success if they learned to limit themselves in certain respects, rather than going full bore constantly.
Obviously the spectacle wasn’t disappointing to most of the fans though, as they mostly seemed to have come to get drunk and crash into one another. While I wouldn’t mind seeing Man Man again in the near future, I definitely won’t be missing their face-painted pseudo hippy followers. Yeasayer though I will catch again no matter what.
