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indie-snob>+!#
q and not u @ bottom lounge (10-20-03)
with the black eyes, french toast |
 photo by me of Q and Not U's collaboration with the Black Eyes A lot of bands have emerged out of the former DC Dischord scene. Some are obviously super popular (Fugazi, to be most blatant) and some are not quite as known (El Guapo, for example). It’s hard to say what any of today’s Dischord scene really has to say, or how any of the bands relate to each other. In a way, it’s nice to have some variety within a label (too bad we can’t say the same for some others out there), but at the same time, it’s hard to see how Q and Not U fits into what used to be. Nonetheless, Q and Not U’s last effort, Different Damage, is certainly one of the better things I’ve ever heard to be called "post punk". (Well, let’s leave Joy Division, Clinic and some other awesome bands out of it for now.) First to open was French Toast, who also opened last time I saw Q and Not U (review on this site, link at the bottom). French Toast is an interesting band. They wear matching UPS-style outfits, similar to that of the Quails if you ever saw them with Sleater-Kinney. Other than that, they’re pretty unique. One of the guys sits behind a keyboard (or a series of) and the other behind drums with some electronic triggers too. There definitely is a sense of the post-punk spirit in French Toast, but there’s something a bit more elegant about them as well, mixing it with more elements of electronic music (although barely), and also with more pop elements. While there’s nothing spectacular about their live show, they certainly are a great band, and I recommend seeing them if you can (although I don’t see them on tour very often). Their Bugman EP is pretty darn good, too (if you can’t find it, I could let you borrow it or something, if you’re really interested). Grade: B+ The Black Eyes are another band to emerge out of Dischord of late. It’s hard for me to keep all the Black ____ band names separate. We have the Black Keys, who I frequently refer to, the Black Dice (on DFA), the Blackbirds (who I’ll be reviewing in a few weeks hopefully), and, less similarly, the Black Heart Procession and the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Now, imagine liking all those bands that begin with Black and keeping them straight. So, when the Black Eyes went on, I really didn’t know who they were. But, they some crazy DC kids, a guy with a long beard playing the trash can, two drummers and lots of random instruments. I believe there were at least seven people on stage, with the one member of Q and Not U coming out to join them a bit. The Black Eyes were definitely hectic though, but in a very nice sense. There was a lot going on, and were definitely interesting to watch. Their sound is definitely similar to Q and Not U, and actually, I was a bit surprised with the lack of variety of sound. While each band did have their own quirks, it seemed all too predictable to shove three similar bands together on the same tour. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the Black Keys. They were energetic and entertaining, and that’s all I can really ever ask for in a live band. Grade: A- Last time I saw Q and Not U, I ended up having to leave early, which was quite disappointing. They put on a really good show. But, for as much as I saw last time, I can guarantee that this was a much better show. Not only was the band energetic, but the music took on a new light live. It was even more interesting, more creative. They played a lot of the songs you’d expect off of Different Damage, like "Soft Pyramids" and "Air Conditioning" and "Animal Calls" (okay, so those are my FAVORITE songs off that album, but they played them all). The set was still light on anything before the time, and I have my doubts that they played anything from that time. I think the way Q and Not U is political is much more subtle than the way a former label-mate like Minor Threat would have been. Their songs are not overtly political on their own, although there certainly is an undertone of discontentment. However, new songs that they played like "X-Polynation" seem to showcase that a little more. I think that the message Q and Not U sends is more political than anything else, with masking tape on the drum kit with "No War '03, No Bush '04" on it. The stage got pretty crowded at one point as the members of the Black Eyes joined the band for a song. There was just so much energy coming from the stage that it was hard not to enjoy the band on some level. Definitely an enjoyable show that I would highly recommend seeing. If you like music in the spirit of punk but far more creative, Q and Not U seems to be at the forefront of this. Their jagged melodies and extremely interesting lyrics surely make them the best of the DC-scene. Grade: A Related Reviews: |