So, Tuesday evening rolls around…what should we do? Well, we like VHS or Beta quite a lot, and Ladytron has some good stuff…why not go check out their concert. Sure, sounds like a plan.
Quite the thought process, but that was essentially the conversation between me and my wife on Tuesday night.
To tell you the truth, I was quite excited. I really enjoyed VHS or Beta’s last album (Bring on the Comets), and knew they had some new material. I was also psyched to check out the non-traditional setup of Ladytron.
VHS or Beta gave a solid performance, dominated by songs from their new album “Diamonds and Death”, with a few older songs from “Bring on the Comets” thrown in for good measure. Although the lead singer, Craig Pfunder, reminded us of Cousin It from the Addams Family (long hair, perpetually hanging down in front of his face), the band rocked the opening and gave an energetic performance. Most of the new stuff gave me a Depeche Mode/ The Smiths vibe, two bands that seem to have been a major influence on VHS or Beta’s sound. The highlight of the set was the spirited performance of “Burn It All Down”, which had the crowd grooving. Their short set left me wanting more, and I hope these guys continue to produce music…hopefully a bit more quickly for their next album (average of 3.5 years per album…not a great way to grow a fan base).
VHS or Beta – Can’t Believe a Single Word by Kirk Booth
As much as VHS or Beta impressed me, Ladytron was as disappointing. I was interested to see how they were live, with their non-traditional setup of 3-4 synthesizers and a drummer. I went into the show liking Ladytron’s music in general and was genuinely fond of Helen Marnie’s (the lead vocalist’s) voice. However, being less familiar with their material, I would not call myself a huge fan. I was hoping to be drawn into the music and to find enjoyment in the live show. However, this didn’t happen.
From the outset, I found that the balance between vocals and instruments was off. The bass from the drums drowned out the vocals so much that I couldn’t make much out for newer songs. In fact, when the secondary vocalist, Mira Aroya, sang in a few songs it was pretty much hearing what Charlie Brown’s parents sound like “Wa wawa wa”…totally indecipherable. Now, I’m not entirely sure if this poor balance was the band’s fault, or more a function of the venue. The Vic Theatre is a converted theatre, with a large open area at the front, and then low ceilings in the back…so, although it would function well for spoken word plays, as far as loud music goes, I can see it causing problems. But, with that said, I think the bass definitely needed to be toned down.
In terms of showmanship, I also found Ladytron lacking. The band was pretty subdued for the majority of their set, with the only real movement being some soft swaying by Helen Marnie. The band started off with “Soft Power”, a song from an older album “Witching Hour”, which is quiet by nature. But the concert never really picked up after, until the encore where Ladytron finally let loose. The final song, “Destroy Everything You Touch” was fantastic, but it was too little too late to redeem the set.
I will give some credit though, the lighting effects were pretty spectacular!
Due to the poor balance though, I have to give this show:
Ladytron – Destroy Everything You Touch by Nettwerkmusicgroup
