Oh man, we wanted so badly to believe, and our faith was totally affirmed and rewarded. After missing two prior area appearances by the mighty Ringo Deathstarr, we were finally witness to the chaos and awe-inducing moments for which the trio's live shows are known. Certain small details go great lengths to convey the fury of the spectacle, and here's one: about two-thirds of the way through the Deathstarr's soon-to-be legendary set, co-fronter Elliot Frazier opted to forego crowd surfing, and instead -- after a couple deft adjustments to his army of guitar pedals -- carelessly threw his guitar into the crowd. It traveled perhaps a half-dozen people deep into the frothing mass, and then returned to the stage as if delivered by a persistent wave.
Thankfully the performance wasn't as deafening as we'd heard they could be, but it was still gloriously loud, and breathlessly paced. When the Austin-based shoegaze titans took to the stage it asked that the lights go down and the monitors go up, and from the first strum of the guitars it was on. The set included catalog cuts like "Sweet Girl," "Some Kind Of Sad" and "Down On You" from the band's debut EP, both cuts from the In Love single, and highlights from the long-awaited full-length Colour Trip, including "Imagine Hearts," "So High," "Two Girls" and "Kaleidoscope." That latter track is one of our favorites of the year, and the live rendering was terrific. Ringo Deathstarr delivered on every front, the power, the attitude, the songs, the showmanship. We believe. We totally fucking believe.
Not to be outdone, local noise-pop heroes Young Adults turned in an efficient, bracing headline set of non-stop anthems. With recently ensconced bass player Danny O'Neill seamlessly holding down the low end and backing vocals, the band was at the top its storied game. The appreciative crowd -- which appeared to think after the destruction laid by the Deathstarr, but returned in full-force once guitarist Chris Villon stepped to the microphone -- was treated to thrilling versions of Young Adults should-be-hits including an overwhelmingly brilliant iteration of "Wasting Time" and "Bummer Summer," which Mr. Villon stated was not going to get played live much longer. The band's full set list is below, and we can not wait to see them again in two weeks' time as part of the bill for the big, big Guillermo Sexo record release show, which bill also features the transcendent locals Soccermom. That show is July 16 at Precinct in Somerville, per the listing in the Clicky Clicky Club Picks in the right-hand sidebar. Here's the full Young Adults set list:
"Rip It Up"
"Let Us Out"
"Impression"
"Stasis" (new)
"Life Under Review"
"Bummer Summer"
"Wasting Time"
"Drifting"
Ringo Deathstarr:
Young Adults:
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