Dukes Spirited on Dave’s Stage
I can't claim to have stumbled upon raucous, raving, borderline arty Brit alt-rockers The Duke Spirit on my own. Trusted MOGgers including Neill, Anna, goodmusiconly and gympumpkin have been on the case for ages - and they were my ticket in. But I did get majorly buzzed by the band's performance of the track "Lassoo" (from their second and most recent album Neptune) on "The Late Show with David Letterman" earlier this week - and thought anyone who missed it would get a kick out of it, courtesy of a YouTube embed. (Gotta hand it to Letterman's music booker, who is usually right on the mark.)
If sinuous-voiced lead singer Liela Moss is downright sex-o-licious (and she is), saying that alone does her and the rest of The Duke Spirit a disservice. Moss moans amid a whirlwind of sound powered by the sting of guitarists Luke Ford and Dan Higgins and the slam of the rhythm section, bass-player Toby Butler and drummer Olly Betts. (Don't know who that was on trumpet. Not bad.)
Although they've been likened to veteran New York City experimental art-punks Sonic Youth, there's a lot more magnetism-in-the-spotlight going on with The Duke Spirit. See for yourself...
Locating MOG account...
Comments (31)
that gal is a S-T-A-R
a promotion guys dream...and i like the rock...loud, mean.
She's got great stage presence unlike a lot of UK acts who are thrust into the limelight before they have even done half a dozen gigs. Then again, everyone love a car cash............
I wrote this:
http://www.somasomascene.com/dukespirit.html
Met the band - the whole magilla.
It appears that "noise guitarist" Dan Higgins is gone - and bassist Toby Butler has moved up to that role (requiring them to all an entirely new bassist). Google searches turn up no news about this.
They are HOTTT! Great performance, thanks for the headsup Mike.
Thanks for the post. There are always surprisingly good bands on Letterman, and usually those vids make their way on youtube, which is fabulous. Some of the best Youtube vids are performances on Letterman. I do love how he describes every band as being "rock 'n roll". :)
Grant: You and me both. She bops - and rocks!
Neill: You know it, most exalted excavator of talent!
Dave: Awesome coverage on the link, but that's usually the case when you're on the beat. Don't know the musicians well enough to have spotted the switch-up, but thanks for the notification.
August: Hot as a pistol! And my pleasure, pal!
SA: De nada! As far as I'm concerned, Letterman's the man. He really does love rock music (his favorite band: Foo Fighters), and it shows.
Thanks for posting this, we dont get to see anything from Letterman until months later here... urghh...
Ditto on previous comments, love the Duke Spirit...and their live performances...
Zen: Glad to see you "raven" about The D.S. - and following Dave's show, even months after the fact. Wait a minute, Isn't that why YouTube was invented? To watch Dave's monologue and musical guests the next day (depending upon your time zone)?
Yeah well I am the Youtube Queen...lol...but it has been a major whine of mine that most times the Letterman, Kimmell and Conan shows arent able to be viewed outside the US... so no cant usually view them unless some youtuber uploads in a different format/zone whatever, otherwise ZR would be right onto it... :-)
I'm all about some sex o licious.
Zen: The bastards! And I can't watch shows posted at the BBC U.K. website on my American-based computer. So yeah, I feel your pain...
Callisto: Oh yeah, baby!
cute girl, not digging the sound though.............does that make me unhip
Never, Kevin. It makes you opinionated. It means you have a point of view. It means you can think for yourself and don't need the MOG community to control your tastes. But, seriously...What the hell is wrong with you?
I did just get in a car accident and totalled my car.........does that count?
What is this? An epidemic? (asked the currently house-bound accident victim...)
feel free to read
http://mog.com/Rawkkiddoh/blog/259162
Aieee! I missed this one. (Thanks a heap, wonky MOG Alerts.) Sorry about the destruction. Happy to learn that you emerged in one piece and ambulatory - as opposed to ambulance-bound. May we both find ourselves in safer circumstances.
I love her, them, their music, their live presence, this video, and you!
Thanks for sharing, that was rocking.
I wonder why their guitarist is not with them, plot thickens...
Debbie Harry cheekbones, with a vocal sound like (and even rivaling) Siouxsie Sioux - and a rockin' band to match - I'm sure she's going places... FAST...
Thanks for the heads up ...
Anna: Why am I not surprised? Oh yeah. Because I only know about them through the likes of you, Neill and company. Love you back. (And damn! What did happen with the missing guitarist? Was it creative differences? Foul play? Karaoke?)
van: Agreed! She's "now." She's "wow." And you're welcome, but let's be honest. As soon as I saw that performance, I knew it had to be imported to the MOG-o-sphere.
Mike: no doubt.
No doubt? Is that some kind of Gwen Stefani reference? Because if it is, that stuff won't fly here!
thanks for the vid, Mike, loved that performance. it was Anna who spirited me to the Dukes and i haven't stopped listening since. (that Anna is spirited in many ways. ;d) i agree, Letterman's music booker is usually right on the mark.
Quite a resonant clip, poe. Still enjoying the hell out of it. Charisma! (I like to think of Anna as the Spirit of MOGmas Past, Present & Future. Then again, I like to think of flying cars and talking cats.)
LOL!!! I say no doubt, way too much... and it is a catch phrase that one would _not be proud of.
Doubtless!
...even better...
Ahhhh ... that was shweeet! and I'm now more irked than ever that I missed them live while I was WAITING IN LINE to get into All Points West — that was both a sham and a shame!
Glad you have the pleasure of being on board (I give cred to yummygatalover for his EMCDing ways). You do indeed rock!
How could you, oh bringer of Spirits, have missed their set? Blasphemy, g.m.o.!
It was the two hour wait for the ferry, then another hour and half before I was able to enter the park ... I thought a four hour advance would get me there in time, but nyet ... I was not happy! Alas, next time ...
I feel your pain - and you are hereby exonerated.