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| Lush |
Fast Times at Terminal 5
Words and pics by Ken Geiger
At the time of writing this, I am still trying to recover from the whirlwind of a week I had. Having to evacuate from my apartment because of a campus-wide black-out, scrambling to adjust to a screwed-up school schedule, the holy day that celebrates the birth of Brent… Somehow, through that all, I managed to catch two shows this week.
Lush at Terminal 5, 9/14/16
My week kicked off on Wednesday with Lush and Tamaryn at Terminal 5. My dad would not stop raving about this show for weeks (no, months) leading up to it. It had been 20 years since the group had played together at all, and I tried to figure out where in the mix of the crazy 90s music scenes they fit in. I found out they were usually brought up in the same light as Britpop groups, as well as the shoegaze scene that took over during that time with bands like My Bloody Valentine and Ride. I just was trying to figure out what I was throwing myself into that whole time leading up to the show. I am certainly glad now though I blindly made the decision to accompany my dad to this.
After a good meal at Island Burgers and Shakes, we slipped into the venue to catch opening act, Tamaryn. Funny enough, I knew more about her than Lush! I remembered seeing her back 4 years ago with an entirely different lineup in some small Brooklyn club no bigger than most basement venues I’ve been to. She certainly deserved to be up on that stage Wednesday nigh,t though, playing nothing but new material from her latest release, Cranekiss. She commanded the stage with a powerful voice, great backing ban,d and a perfect dreamy atmosphere to help lead us into what was to be Lush’s set.
Now this is where I become particularly enthused to talk about this show. With no real knowledge of Lush before the moment they took the stage, I knew I was either going to walk away from the venue cursing or praising my dad for his choice of concert. Of course it was the latter. The band ripped through a 21-song set in a little over an hour and a half; perfect timing, in my eyes. They also were noticeably chattier and more outgoing than their shoegaze contemporaries. The best moments of the set had to be when the band delivered more melancholy tunes, such as “Light from a Dead Star” and “Kiss Chase.” I couldn’t help but leave that show with a full-fledged fandom of Lush. Sure, everyone knows My Bloody Valentine better from that little scene of bands from the 90s. This article and my opinions will not stop millions of up and coming bands from listing Loveless as a gigantic influence on their work. I just hope that someone will read this and not ignore the amazing music Lush has to offer, as I did for so many months of knowing it existed.
Death Grips at Terminal 5, 9/16/16
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| Death Grips |
I was escorted home from Oceanport after the campus-wide blackout at Rutgers as soon as the Lush concert ended, and just spent Thursday trying to set myself back on track and feed the meters around New Brunswick a ridiculous amount of times. By the time Friday came around, I was in utter shock that I had to somehow make my way back to Terminal 5 to catch the infamous Death Grips with some friends.
It has been a long time coming, but I can feel that the California-based experimental rap group is finally starting to escape the depths of the musical underground from which they have been heralded in for so long. The fact that Friday’s show was sold out for months leading up to it and that a line for it had popped up 9 hours before doors is a complete testament to that thought. One of the craziest sights I have ever seen at a show is how people sprinted to the barricade as soon as they were allowed. Terminal 5 packed up in about 10 minutes. The moshing broke out during sound check, for God sake. I knew this was not going to be like any other show on the planet.
By the time the band took the stage at 9:30 or so, it was clear the audience was tired of just standing around. The fence I was strategically placed at by the front collapsed as soon as the first note was played. From there, the venue became one massive dance floor/battleground for those who wanted to survive the night. I couldn’t help but give up my sanity and join them.
As for the actual performance, Death Grips brought it big time for a band who seem to have no problem with ditching out on playing their own shows from time to time. DJ/sampler, Flatlander, brought an intense stage presence to the instrumentals he produced. Drummer Zach Hill showed off all the drum chops that he is so famously known for throughout the entire show. I could not imagine being in his position, having to give that manic and technical of a performance for almost 2 hours straight. But, somehow, he pulled it off like the superhuman he is. Then, of course, there was MC Ride. Perhaps the most recognizable of the trio, his barking vocal delivery was on point that night. I think he and the rest of the band shined best during the crushing tracks “No Love,” “Hot Head” and “Inanimate Sensation,” all of which happen to be among my favorite Death Grips songs. The show overall was insane, as a matter of fact. The songs live definitely felt heavier than they ever did on record, giving the audience just another reason to go absolutely crazy.
I will give anyone who does not know Death Grips now this warning: this is going to be the group to keep an eye for years to come. Their current discography, wickedly devoted fan base, and the mysterious lore built around them already makes them legendary in the underground. But soon they will come to the forefront, so start educating yourself on them before it’s too late.
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