The Faint and Ladytron shared the stage as headliners on April 10 and 11 at New York’s Webster Hall. Telepathe was initially supposed to open, but dropped out. Crocodiles were on the bill as a late replacement. After some delays, the doors opened and the show began.
Crocodiles were on promptly while people were still getting in at 7:30. Their too cool aesthetic with red light cutting through the fog, the band adorned their shades as they sounded great in the acoustically daunting Webster Hall. “Neon Jesus” opened the set and served as a nice introduction to the band’s distillation of rock, pop, and punk.
Compared to such acts as The Jesus and Mary Chain and Spaceman3, this reverb retro band differentiates itself enough. The band danced around the fuzz and noise, enjoying themselves and the time on stage. Through the squeaks and squeals of guitar and synths by Charles Rowland, lead singer Brandon Welchez had a deadpan voice that, purists might say had little range, pushed the songs forward. “I Wanna Kill” closed the set. This number was played with a lively step and not as deliberately as the studio recording, providing for a poppier affair, especially as Welchez invites everyone to sing along. The condensed set came to a close, and this up and coming act paved the way for a great night of performances.
Ladytron came on next at 8:30. Having closed the show on the previous night, Ladytron and the Faint switched slots. The six members were backed by four light screens that provided dazzling ambient lighting of blues, reds, and yellows. “Black Cat” opened the night. The bass, synths, and drums were pounding, the keyboards were clear, and the vocals were intact. The crowd filled up Webster and was eager to get the night started. The crowd’s prayers were answered early on with hit after hit.
After “Black Cat” warmed up the crowd, the band followed with “Runaway” from 2008′s Velocifero. Moderately paced, it seemed like Ladytron were lulling the crowd into a false sense of security as the slithering “High Rise” from 2005′s Witching Hour with its drifting melodic vocals followed. “Ghosts” from Velocifero with its succinct deconstruction of a word’s true meaning.
The crowd reacted as soon as “Seventeen” hit with its chic swagger. Appropriating chilly vocals to the urgent call of the music, Ladytron’s sound is distant yet beckoning. The sound was thunderous and bass heavy, but did not drown out the intricate vocals. The dual vocals by Helen Marnie and Mira Aroyo present truly disparate performances. Marnie is the playful to Aroyo’s stark.
The live performance enhanced their sound by providing an unsuspecting punch and power, songs that lure the listener oh so gradually on the album forcefully grab the listener’s undivided attention. Ladytron covered every aspect of their discography although their most recent effort did have the most tracks. Ladytron dug out “Discotraxx” from their 2001 debut 604.
The steadily building set was drew to a close as “Tomorrow” played into set closer “Destroy Everything You Touch.” As headline worthy as this set was, The Faint was still primed to send the night off with fireworks.
Ladytron Setlist
Black Cat
Runaway
High Rise
Ghost
Seventeen
I’m Not Scared
True Mathematics
Season of Illusions
Soft Power
Discotraxx
International Dateline
Fighting In Bult Up Areas
Tomorrow
Versus
Destroy Everything You Touch
Seeing how crowded it was already, it came as no surprise as The Faint‘s scheduled time grew closer, it became even more crowded. The crowd erupted as The Faint ripped into “Mirror Error” from 2008′s Fascination.
The show was loud, bright, and energetic. From the first note, the crowd was sucked in and Webster Hall felt like you were standing on the waves of the sea.
As soon as the fractured opening riff from “Agenda Suicide” from 2005′s Danse Macabre could be heard, the crowd lost it. The crowd roared as Todd Fink sang “Like a gas shadow.” Jacob Thiele on keyboards and Dapose on guitar were just giving it their all as they shredded it up on the right side. Clark Baechle pounded out a steady rhythm on drums and Joel Petersen provided some gnarly bass work.
The band continued to ratchet up the intensity. “Dropkick the Punks” from 2004′s Wet From Birth. This punk sing-a-long was just pulsating with reckless abandon. The band soon restored some sanity with “Your Retro Career Melted” but they soon cranked it up again with “The Conductor.” The bubbly “Psycho” followed, allowing for the people to continue moving but altering the mood ever so slightly.
The light hearted mood continued with “In Concert” and settled into their groove with “Machine in the Ghost” and “Desperate Guys.” The performance was intense, from the band’s energy, the lights and projection, Webster Hall was in full gear. It did not seem like they shifted gears at all, the transitions were seamless.
“Worked Up So Sexual” “from last decade” oozed its way through the crowd, already sweaty and fired up. “Paranoiattack” closed the set before the encore. The chanting of “Paranoia! Paranoia!” was returned by the crowd and a brief moment between songs allowed the fans to catch their breath.
The encore picked up immediately with the catchy single “The Geeks Were Right.” Brash, defiant and looking for a good time, The Faint’s headlining gig came to a triumphant close with “I Disappear.” Webster Hall was stunned as the night was over. Ladytron and The Faint provided everything you could ask for on a Saturday night.
The Faint Setlist
Mirror Error
Agenda Suicide
Your Retro Career Melted
The Conductor
Pyscho
In Concert
Take Me To The Hospital
Machine in the Ghost
Desperate Guys
Get Seduced
Forever Growing Centipedes
Southern Belles In London Sing
Worked Up So Sexual
Paranoiattack
The Geeks Were Right
Glass Danse
I Disappear
