Playing its normal Lower-East-Side haunt at Pianos, Indie band Takka Takka astounds those of us cramming into the small concert venue on July 15, 2008. Cool, smooth, sophisticated, they step onto the stage, emanating quiet vibes of relaxation.
Takka Takka proves wrong every rocker who claims a concert is no good without screaming vocals, wailing guitars, and energetic, if not possibly ADD, performers flying across stage. As the synthesizer opens their first song, an overpowering sense of ease comes over not only the performers but, too, the audience. Mellow and soothing lyrics seize us, while the ever-changing instrumental ambiance moves us.
Consisting of a drummer, a bassist, and three guitarists (one of whom plays synth as well) Takka Takka controls every nuance of sound it produces. Instead of clashing riffs vying for the spotlight, every instrument produces an independently intriguing sound that not only blends perfectly with the others, but also reacts to and accentuates the character of their individual line. The band produces a dynamic sound that is continually changing and captivating. The delicate intricacies are, though, often lost on first listen. One could hear a single song ten times and discover something new upon each listening. First one guitar catches my ear and I am drawn into the music, following the sound as it ebbs and flows until suddenly another guitar sweeps in, pulling me away with it. No matter how hard I concentrate to hear everything, there is always something new, something individual.
Underlying each rich piece is strength and passion. Unlike typical rock performances in which the performers stretch to their tiptoes to express their tumultuously deep emotions, lead singer Gabe Levine merely furrows his brow to express his fervor. Both hands gripping the mic, eyes lightly closed beneath his black, thick-rimmed glasses, Levine furls his eyebrows in concentration and emotion. If rockers are like theater thespians, their actions extravagantly large, Takka Takka is like film actors, expressing emotions simply through a raised eyebrow or a down-turned lip.
What sets Takka Takka apart in a city filled with would-be musicians is its ability to produce a personal, personalized performance. The band creates an intimate relationship with its audience by putting on an act that does not scream, “This is an act!” They draw us in merely by letting us glimpse their private, individual relationships with their music. Like voyeurs, we are rapt observers of their secret world as they sway, entranced on stage.
Check out our recent Fifty-Word review of Takka Takka's Migration!
