Deathray Davies
It’s ridiculous that the Deathray Davies played to 75 kids at the Hi-Dive as Weezer headlines arenas and amphitheaters.
But there they were Tuesday night, playing their sick little hearts out (singer John Dufilho was losing his voice) to modest, head-nodding appreciation at the Hi- Dive. Whether they were plucking from their multipart “They Stuck Me in a Box in the Ground” series of songs or throwing down the excellent college-radio single “The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower,” the group was playing for keeps, making a few lifetime fans along the way.
Playing as a five-piece, sans the usual video accompaniment, the group tore through a set that peaked at “She Can Play Me Like a Drum Machine.” But they were at their best whenever the silent and funny guy in the center played the xylophone or the maraca fashioned into a woman’s head, both of which felt the wrath of his overly enthusiastic (and surprisingly serious) slams, pings and shakes. | Ricardo Baca
Editors
Expectations seemed higher than normal Friday as two buzzed-about indie bands – Editors and Yeah Yeah Yeahs – descended upon the city. The former is a U.K. import that, despite boasting a platinum album across the pond, has failed to generate many waves in the States’ mainstream.
Luckily for those at the Bluebird Theater, Editors delivered on the hype. Annoyingly named art school poseurs stellastarr* played first, sounding marginally better live than on their tepid, pointlessly Cure-aping records. Not that Editors were a paragon of originality – the band garners constant comparisons to Interpol, another act that’s essentially a post-Joy Division blueprint of new-wave gloom.
But singer/guitarist Tom Smith performed songs from “The Back Room” with such precision that one had to admire his band’s effortless chemistry. Dark, melodic singles like “Munich” and “Blood” were polished to a rusty shine, while “All Sparks” conveyed a churning vigor that nearly splintered the venue’s rickety stage.
As Interpol has proven with its past couple of albums, originality is overrated. If Editors keep playing shows with this much gusto, they’ll reach American superstar status in no time. And they’ll deserve it. | John Wenzel
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
OK, so you’re a band with two full-length albums and a couple of EPs. No matter if your songs are shorter than average. You play as long as you can because you can. Fans want it and it’s the only humane thing to do.
But no. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs took The Strokes route of touring their sophomore record and played for only about 60 minutes April 21 at the Fillmore – a dig at a crowd that fulfilled its part of the bargain by knowing nearly every word to new singles “Gold Lion” and “Phenomena.”
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, playing mostly as a trio, presented a rosy, noisy aural portrait. While it was admirably messy, it lacked the artiness that first set this group apart from the pack. The show left you feeling like this former art-rock group is now just another rock band. | Ricardo Baca
