“You threw your costume together at the last minute? Me too!” Photos and text by .
Because has such a fondness for costumes and wardrobe in its music videos, seeing front man Dick Valentine hit the stage sporting a cape on Halloween, the ultimate night of costumes, was a little disappointing. After the first song, he removed it — to reveal another cape underneath it. Ridiculous? Completely. Could we have expected anything less from the Detroit party-rock band?
We could have expected more. Perhaps a return of Valentine’s generalissimo outfit from the “Dance Commander” video or one of those dozens of S&M Abraham Lincolns that made the “Gay Bar” so hilarious? But less? No way.
Such was the Halloween night for Electric Six, which found an uncertain balance between coming dangerously close to underperforming and exploding from the stage. The band’s music was perfectly tailored for a costume party, blending disco, funk and guitar-worshipping riffs as Valentine’s over-the-top stage persona made it patently obvious everything was done with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Hobbled with promoting a lackluster new album, “Flashy,” instead of concentrating on the party anthems of albums past, Electric Six’s set was painfully uneven. Bodies shook around the dance floor when the familiar high-energy tunes came on: “Gay Bar,” “Fire” “Your Heat is Rising” and “Improper Dancing” turned the Bluebird into a surreal dance club packed with superheroes, jailbirds, vampires and grease-painted faces. Even the mid-tempo “I Buy the Drugs” packed enough boogie-rock wallop to keep the fancy-dress ball hopping.
When the band strayed from the tried-and-true, things didn’t roll as smoothly. “Germans in Mexico” is remarkably less fun live than it was as recorded on “Switzerland,” and brand-new cuts like “Formula 409” and “Gay Bar Part Two” left the crowd distracted and bored without a wave of groove to surf.
Oddly paired with Electric Six, Local H did its best to remind the audience how fun grunge could be when it wasn’t taking itself too seriously. The drums-and-guitar lineup was particularly flexible, and drummer Brian St. Clair pounded wildly enough to carry the night. Intermingling old songs (“All-Right”), new songs (“PJ Soles” and “California Songs”) with covers well chosen (CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising”) and better left unplayed (“Wolf Like Me” by TV on the Radio), Local H was a decidedly heavy end of the bill.
Electric Six and Local H were still more treat than trick for an All Hallows’ Eve night out, but by night’s end, you were left with the feeling that both bands were playing dress-up just like their audiences were: Playing at being bigger, more successful and, largely, more talented acts than either really is. Since it was Halloween, it was easy to forgive the masquerade as seasonal spirit, but next time either act is in town, it’s hard to imagine audiences being so forgiving.
Matt Schild edits and is a regular Reverb contributor.
