LimeWire Music Blog

I’d like to take a moment to thank my peers at the LimeWire Music Blog for turning me on to Patrick Wolf over the past few weeks.  I’ve immersed myself in his catalog and was certainly excited to hear of his upcoming gig at the Highline Ballroom, appearing as part of Nylon’s summer showcase.

Though his headlining performance was as fantastic as I had expected, it was a long and bumpy road along the way.  The evening began with one of the very worst bands I’ve had the displeasure of seeing, the Portland-based Jaguar Love, who struck a nerve immediately upon entrance.  Dressed in neon and boasting only a guitar and laptop (ugh), the band bombastically assaulted the audience with 45 minutes of sheer ridiculousness.  I couldn’t tell which I disliked more, the shrill, canned electronics or the whiny yelps of vocalist Johnny Whitney.

The evening began with one of the very worst bands I’ve had the displeasure of seeing, the Portland-based Jaguar Love, who struck a nerve immediately upon entrance.  Dressed in neon and boasting only a guitar and laptop (ugh), the band bombastically assaulted the audience with 45 minutes of sheer ridiculousness.

Fortunately, Jaguar Love’s onslaught was the most abrasive and obnoxious of the lot, and the bill improved from there.  Next up were The Plasticines, an all-female French garage band. They weren’t necessarily my cup of tea either, but I appreciated their influences and style, which culminated in an energetic and fun performance.  Their songs seemed lost in the sixties, half-garage rock trash and half French ye-ye, calling both Question Mark and the Mysterions and France Gall to mind. The band struck a balance somewhere between a rough edge and a cute demeanor, complete with an appropriate run through of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made For Walking.”

Equally trashy were the next act, St. Louis -based garage rockers Living Things. The band seemed to be the opposite of the all-female Plasticines, a more masculine affair with similar influences, with less of the fun.  The banddid not quite pique my interest, but settled comfortably into a Ramones-meets-New-York-Dolls pastiche, keeping the energy alive and well into the night.

Last, but certainly not least, Patrick Wolf hit the stage. Dressed in a black feathered jacket, Wolf and his band of multi-instrumentalists launched immediately into “Vulture,” the synth-pop infected lead single off new album The Bachelor. The energy was instantly electric, as Wolf tousled his blonde hair in unison to the beat.  Soon after the song’s conclusion, Wolf and co. shifted gears into more string and piano-based territory, displaying his knack for crossing genres and styles with the same prowess.  Alongside the more synth-heavy numbers sat traditional Irish folk-inspired songs, torch ballads, gospel-inflected singalongs, and powerful glam-rockers.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Wolf’s talents is his onstage charisma. Though Wolf wielded no less than four instruments (dulcimer, piano, violin, and guitar), each were played with the utmost finesse and flair. Interestingly enough, Wolf’s banter was toned down, a nice contrast to his powerful stage presence. In between tracks, Wolf spun stories of New York experiences both past and present, told of the inspiration for several of his latest songs, and thanked the crowd from the bottom of his heart for their support both now and over the years.

Meanwhile, the set list itself, as hinted at earlier, plucked lovingly from each of Wolf’s records. Highlights included the bouncy “Magic Position,” the tender powerful “Tristan,” the string driven “Damaris,” and protest anthem “Battle,” which came complete with crowd participation. Perhaps the biggest treat was the final number, an unreleased track played solely by Wolf on the piano, slated for future release on 2010’s Bachelor follow-up, The Conqueror. Though Wolf made a point to note that the recorded version was played on the Crystal Baschet, an extremely rare and unique instrument, the piece was no less captivating on the more common piano. If anything, it was not just a fantastic show closer, but also served as a sneak preview of the further greatness to follow.

The Plasticines