Last Night Let’s Pretend We’re Not Dead
posted by on June 8 at 16:15 PM
Unlike Jonathan, I just wasn’t moved by last night’s CSS show. Maybe it was partially because I was in the 21+ pen in the back—last time they played Neumo’s I was right up front, and it was awesome—but the wild energy the band had last time through town was this time around replaced by a more practiced professionalism. The band’s been touring non-stop, playing giant festivals, fulfilling their absurd song lyrics by actually meeting Paris Hilton, dating Klaxons, and they seem to have become a lot more confident as big entertainers, even if that means they seem a little less like an scrappy rock band. They’re more like a kids tv show’s approximation of a rock band—muppety in a bad way—and I just couldn’t get myself into it this time around. The “zany” outfits, the synchronized hand-clapping, the crowd-surfing all just felt too pat. And I actually like the album (although, their songs sounded kind of flattened last night, keyboards and vocals turned way down, bass thump and guitar fuzz turned way up).
But, watching them last night, what really started to bug me was the same thing that got Tony Ware worked up in his interview with the band—their unwillingness to take a stand on anything substantive, their apparent vacuousness. The music is single-mindedly “fun,” but ideologically apathetic, and I’m just tired of “I don’t give a fuck” being the prevailing attitude of the musical counter culture. It’s just such a limited platform.
I'm in total agreement. I actually left on the last song and didn't stay for the encore. I had been super pumped about seeing them for the first time but like you said it came off flat and a bit uninspired. I guess I was hoping to dance my ass off and get as sweaty as I did at the last !!! show. That did not happen, unfortunately....
Being in any kind of group in general just seems like any old career now. I miss the innocent times before it was a career choice to play music, when it was something you totally had to do, even if it was a losing proposition. Now all anyone stands for is a professional career or successful business, which is fine in itself...but it just seems empty and uninspiring to watch and listen to. This isn't really a comment on CSS...but just how groups in general just grow and get more professional and route like any office drones. It happens to most all groups.
Yes, it is disappointing when our favorite vapid disco punks stand for nothing.
eric, i felt the exact same way. i felt that it was a given that i must dance, because my friends and i had set aside our dancing portion of the evening for this concert specifically. but when i was moving all around to the beat, i felt like a child, just dancing to whatever loud noises were being blasted into my brain. none of the music moved me in any way at all. i didn't find the volume or the sparkles or the turned up bass to be rebellious or rock and roll, in any fashion. the whole set up was all just too polished and played out. it was also a downer too, because the css show left me in a funk that made going to "fascinator" downstairs, seem completely pointless.
At least they are fun though or have fun songs. Le Tigre, who kinda have something to say, are boring and only have a couple of good songs. Kathleen Hanna is too old to be sounding like a valley girl activist.
YES! Eric, you have nailed what bugs me about this band, and actually a zillion others right now. Fun is more fun if there's a purpose behind it.
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