Review: Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu play Joy Division 7/11

Traveled to Brooklyn on my first Sunday not working at the Bristol Press and it was a pretty good day. This was my first Brooklyn Pool Party - I wanted to go last summer and back when it was actually at a pool but was always busy or working on Sundays - and it was a nice setup with a big stage facing the waterfront and a pretty big beer garden with good views of the stage on the side. Also, it was free.

I'm a big Deerhoof fan, and I've heard that Xiu Xiu is pretty good, so I was hoping they would play some of their own songs. Unfortunately, they didn't. Playing Joy Division was cool for the classic 80s feel that all these bands are trying to capture again today, but it kind of felt like a waste that those two bands were there and didn't play any of their songs. Also, when the guy from Xiu Xiu was singing some songs, it sounded like he was trying too hard at points to imitate the guy from Joy Division.

Fang Island was one of the openers, and they were pretty epic. That's probably how you'd describe a lot of their music. It's just epic with the music constantly building. It was cool to see them before seeing them open for the Flaming Lips a few weeks later. I also really liked Why? who was really fun with their hip hop, indie feel.

While I left a little disappointed after Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu's set, I couldn't complain because the show, overall, was pretty good. And I didn't pay anything for it. And because we were in New York, we went to Katz's for lunch.

Sweet Free Show: Deerhoof, The Drums, Free Energy 9/12

Das Racist pulled a Screech and bailed from this show, so we didn't go to the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, but it's all good because now we know they're lame, and we got to see more of The Drums.

They kind of sounded like Editors or Depeche Mode, and they were young, and there were a lot of people in their band. They rocked it.

Before them, we saw Free Energy, and the guys in that band looked the part with their long hair and non-matching, I-don't-care-what-I-wear-but-really-I-do-and-this-outfit-is-awesome outfits. They had a raw, fun rock feel, kind of like a Mark Mulcahy band. Though, I might have thought this because Mark Mulcahy is on our minds with that tribute album for him coming up. I have to pick that up.


And Deerhoof was awesome as always. Satomi was adorable. Greg rocked out on the drums and had sick shoes. This was our third time seeing them, and we were excited as usual. Everyone around us was dancing like crazy. That's just what Deerhoof does. They play loud, kind of weird, but ridiculously catchy music. Best free show ever? Maybe. Again, with Mark Mulcahy on the mind, and having seen him for free with the Animals at the Daffodil Festival, it's a tough call. Still, a phenomenal deal.