Bands don't really come and play Detroit anymore. However, this fall, things seem different, and there already have been and also will be some really great lineups hitting up the various venues. The one I was most looking for: Women, one of the absolute best newer bands around, playing the Magic Stick.
Detroit's own Marco Polio and the New Vaccines started the night off. To be completely honest, I was too busy not caring, and instead showed up a little late and talked to friends instead of paying attention. I'll tell you what, though, they were loud, obnoxious and very synthy. Meh. I'm not even going to extend any more effort to explain any further. I will say that I've read on some Detroit music blogs that they are one of the most "entertaining" local bands around these days. Thing is, I just want to watch bands that have released albums that I like play quality versions of songs from those albums. That's all.
Anyway, Women's support on this leg of their tour was DD/MM/YYYY, whom I had no expectations whatsoever for. Turns out, they were really sweet. They had that whole one-and-one-fourth drumkit split between two dudes thing going, and there was some impressive and confusing polyrhythm stuff going on. The songs were sort of there. They were interesting, and there were some cool melodies, guitar and synth work, but the main appeal was the unhinged energy in their sound. And also, the main drummer was INCREDIBLE, and an absolute blast to watch.
This was a special night for Women, as it was the very date of the American release of their new album, Public Strain. I was hoping they were going to begin their set with the ambient opener from that album, "Can't You See," but instead they came right out with the poppiest track, "Narrow With the Hall," which was more than acceptable. They did eventually play "Can't You See," and other highlights from the new album were "Heat Distraction," "Drag Open" and the immaculate closer, "Eyesore," which they played very fast. In fact, they played most of their songs fast. Something I like about their albums is how they are chaotic and have this semi-punk attitude about them, but most of their songs are slow or at fastest mid-tempo. It was fun to seem them play everything considerably faster.
Unsurprisingly, the best moments of the night were during the performances of songs from their 2008 self-titled debut. They played most of the greats ("Cameras" and "Group Transport Hall" being unfortunately omitted). "Lawncare" was especially disorienting and awesome, and the awesomely plodding pace of their "hit," "Black Rice," was replaced with a sense of urgency, almost as if the band wanted to hurry and get it over with. "Upstairs," which is just a nice little ditty, transitioned into "Sag Harbor Bridge," which has some insanely fast guitar playing as is. Thankfully "Shaking Hand," probably my favorite Women song, was played as well, and everyone in the band actually plays fast for that jam, so times that by 1.25 or something, I guess.
Seeing the band Women live is an interesting and wonderful experience. Their records are more than just lo-fi recordings. The use of tape and shitty equipment and stuff really does contribute a lot to the feel and sound of their songs, sort of acting like extra instruments on their own. But live, the songs are just balls out. Crazy distortion, lots of scratching and scraping guitar sounds, barely audible vocals, but nice, crisp sounding drums as opposed to charmingly shitty and overdriven ones. Actually, at the Magic Stick, everything but the drums sounded exactly like they do on record.
God, I love this band.
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