Good Party Partners? Bloc Party + Does It Offend You Yeah?

BLOC PARTY + DOES IT OFFEND YOU YEAH? Do Webster Hall

Aug 6th, Webster Hall, NYC

Last week, I sprinted to Webster Hall in order to see (and shoot) Does It Offend You, Yeah?, the NME-loved, ra-ra band from Reading and fellow bold Brits Bloc Party. It was a hot night; a packed house; a little bit of tension in the air. I didn't know if the two would mix sweetly or combust.

Lucky be a rock band, theirs was a partnership of equals. DIOYY has sharpened up their performance over the past year (having toured madly) - showing new maturity and more apparent "rockability" (as opposed to chaotic electronica with ocassional riffs) to their songs. Still their riotous electro-dance hits "Weird Science", "Let's Make Out" and "We Are Rockstars" were the crowd favorites. Surprise fact of day: They are set to open for Nine Inch Nails in the next few weeks?! Speaking of bizarre pairings...............that's a shiraz followed by a scotch no?

DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH?

Morgan Quaintance on right; James Rushent on left

James Rushent looking haloed

Dan Coop

Daring duo..........

Morgan rrrrriffing............*check out the fender.

James glowing

The Crowd showing their adulation

BLOC PARTY

By the time Bloc Party pranced on stage, Webster was filled to the brim with people ready to rave. One often forgets what a difficult job it is to amuse a rambunctious crowd of sassy New Yorkers for over an hour. You bore and people riot. (Or blog endless drivel about you.) And so often the bands that were soo hot last year or the year prior (Scissor Sisters? OK Go? Artic Monkeys?) are reminded how ephemeral that seat of supremacy can be.

Bloc Party played expert zoo keepers- taming the crowd all the right notes- soothing them into drop-jaw silence- and then orchestrating rampant applause in finale. Kele Okereke was particularly emotive (as is typical- he's one of the most photogenic fellahs too)- screaming away under the bright lights. However, while Kele is a great draw, Bloc Party as a unit works so well by carving out hits off steady, riveting hooks- fed by an intensive drum sections. You feel as though they've just got that sacred 'rockability' equation written on their fingers...(translated with a few synths and pedals)....so much so the crowd just eats out of their palms. Their 'recipe' is more apparent in older hits from Silent Alarm than their newer A Weekend In The City. But nonetheless, the bait is there throughout. That night, the animals are listening.

Kele Okereke

the stringbean fiery rocker known as Russel Lissack

Teething

"Helicopter"?

Kele in the shadows.

"The Prayer"?

Twas a good night. Twas not just another week in the city.............

photos by Faith-Ann Young