Let me first make sure you know what the 2 things this post is NOT: it is NOT 2 things.
1) It is NOT a message to deter you from going to a Darwin Deez concert next time you have the chance.
2) It is NOT a blanket criticism of female rockers.
With that in mind:
I was not wowed by Darwin Deez’s last visit to the Black Cat in Washington, DC. My friends and I had gone to see him in February and were blown away by his gorgeous trash ‘stache, curly locks, vocal energy, and most of all, by the Deez and his (all-male) bandmates’ razor-sharp dance moves. All their songs sounded better live than recorded and the band’s obvious delight at performing just added to the excitement of the already-pumped crowd.
Given this experience, my concert-crew was quick to jump at the chance to see the Deez again this past Wednesday. With our high expectations, perhaps it was inevitable we would be disappointed. However, there were several specific… flaws (?) errors (?) faux pas (?) that made this show simply lacking.
• First, the band was about 15 minutes late to take the stage. Fifteen minutes. Not a big deal right? I mean, that’s the amount of time it takes me to type a text using T9 on my beloved dumb-phone. Except fifteen minutes takes on a whole new meaning when the set time is 10PM, you live in the nation’s capital, and the one and only WMATA (our ‘fond’ nickname for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) only runs until 11:58 PM on weekdays with the closest station being a good 30 minute-walk from the venue. Why the delay? After discussing (albeit drunkenly and in shouted tones) the question with fellow concert-goers, we decided Deez was… nervous. Seriously. The concert was being taped and Deez took the stage looking more consternated than excited to perform. Buzz kill. Disappointment #1.
• Second, Deez came shorn! The moustache was definitely up to par (as were the “homage ‘staches” of several male concert-goers) but his ringlets were chopped. Not a serious flaw, but still, a little sad.
• Third (and I cringe to type this, but type this I will), there was something ‘off’ about the band’s dancing, which was the unquestioned highlight of the last show. And… I’m going to blame it on The Girl. She was just too self-conscious on stage. While the original (yes, again, all-male) band-members perfectly balanced maintaining an air of: [this is SO fun + I am ROCKING these dance moves + go ahead and laugh but this is SUPER serious bizness] on stage while dancing, The Girl’s aura was more a combination of:
[I’m going to try really hard to LOOK like I’m having fun + I don’t QUITE know these moves + DAMN ! I forget – am I supposed to look sexy? Or serious? Or both?]. Not ideal.
That being said, I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent $13 on a Wednesday. Deez’s entire repertoire is excellent. Up in the Clouds, Bad Day, Constellations, DNA, Radar Detector – all the classics rocked my socks. A couple unexpected treasures were The Bomb Song and The City. And don’t get me wrong, The Girl played her bass like it was no one’s business AND she drank a regular Coca-Cola on stage, so she scores double points for being a female who drinks non-diet soda and for defying the stereotypical beer-on-stage look.
All in all, a truly enjoyable concert event. It’s just difficult to keep topping expectations when you set the bar so high the first time. So next time Deez is in town – go see him. And make sure you remind Michelle (yes, The Girl has a name) to practice her dance moves.
Darwin Deez – Constellations by LuckyNumberMusic
