Monday, November 28th 2011
Shows: Awolnation
Awolnation Set Fire To NYC’s Webster Hall (Not Literally)
I can’t quite figure out why Awolnation works, but I was already a convert before seeing them completely dominate NYC’s Webster Hall on November 21. When I first heard their album Megalithic Symphony, my kneejerk reaction was Pitchfork-worthy snobbery, that the music was MTV-ready party tunes for fratboys. But when I read about their amazing live performances, I decided to give the album another spin. And while I’m not sure if my initial elitism was entirely wrong, I am certainly glad I gave them another listen. The songs have some serious genre ambiguity that feel fresh in a way I hadn’t heard in pop music in years. Perhaps even more heretical to my “raised on 90s alternative rock” sensibilities, the songs are unapologetically fun.
Because none of my friends had even heard of Awolnation, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect crowd-wise. As it turned out, the venue was almost entirely packed even before opening band MC Rut finished their set. MC Rut is another band whose tracks continue to grow on me, and their live sound – especially for a two-piece – was totally ferocious. When they launched into the epic climax of 25 Years, the lights strobed in time with drummer Sean Stockham’s pounding as guitarist Zack Lopoez thrashed around the stage, and they effortlessly pulled off the frenetic high-energy “rock show look” that bands spend thousands of dollars on their music videos to (usually unsuccessfully) emulate.
After MC Rut finished, Awolnation began their set without much delay. Right out of the gate, vocalist and songwriter Aaron Bruno commanded the stage, acting every bit the insanely charismatic, natural bandleader I had read he was. It certainly didn’t hurt that the crowd was clearly ready to have a good time. By the third song in, the anthemic Not Your Fault, Bruno invited someone up to be the first (but certainly not last) crowdsurfer of the night, and an audience member gladly capitulated, climbing onstage and then jumping full-throttle into a totally receptive crowd. Before the next song, Bruno yelled to the crowd that tonight was their night, and they should “Act the fool! Look like you wanna look! Dance like you wanna dance!”
All of this party-vibe would’ve been for naught if the band didn’t deliver – and, fortunately, they did in spades. The obvious standout was drummer Hayden Scott, who absolutely tore up his kit. While the album seems to have a relatively economical mix of live drums and programming, there was hardly a moment last night where Scott wasn’t slamming the hell out of his drums, which were lit up like a Christmas tree. The other standout was jack-of-all-trades Kenny Carkeet, who switched between guitar, keyboard, and drum pads throughout the set, but never seemed bogged down: for example, during Guilty Filthy Soul, he pounded out an impressive vocal stutter fill on an MPC, paused briefly to look triumphantly out to the crowd, and then jumped straight back to keys.
Ultimately, though, it came back to the crowd and the undeniable energy Awolnation was able to pulse out into the venue. At one point, Bruno told the crowd that the band had been having a contest to see which city could the most girls crowdsurfing during one song, and a sea of girls went up without pause. Later, when Bruno beckoned for people to hold up their lighters and/or cell phones (“I want it to look like a Scorpions video!”), the audience gladly obliged, almost mirroring the bands impressively bright lights.
Even the all-too-frequent buzzkill of modern rock shows didn’t slow anything down: when Bruno disappeared as guitarist Christopher Thorn launched into a lengthy, shamelessly indulgent solo over the end of single Sail, the crowd just happily danced along. And the talent rewarded their patience by next jumping straight into the blistering Burn It Down, which got the crowd jumping so hard I was actually afraid the floor would collapse.
The band ended their set with Knights Of Shame, a song that is as much a testament to the unlikely success of the band as anything: a 12 minute, multi-part suite that concludes the album, it feels more like a mixtape of very-catchy bits than a cohesive song. Much to my surprise, it really, truly worked as a show-closer. Despite being in a nearly-full club, I felt like I was at a house party where the hosts jammed on everything they knew and everyone danced like crazy. Midway through, Bruno grabbed a guitar and rocked out, only to later switch instruments with Scott and end the song on the drums. The band thanked the crowd one last time before launching into a brief riff on Rage Against The Machine’s Bulls On Parade, leaving the stage buzzing, literally and metaphorically. The crowd wanted more, and I couldn’t blame them – the set felt a little short, but considering this was a tour in support of their freshman effort, I’m excited to see where Awolnation goes next.
Setlist:
People
Guilty Filthy Soul
Not Your Fault
Kill Your Heroes
Soul Wars
All I Need
Sail
Burn It Down
Knights Of Shame
