Music almost felt tough to love this Friday due to the stunning news of Adam "MCA" Yauch's passing. The Beastie Boys and their pioneering ways with music have meant so very much to so many people, and the loss of such a young hip-hop icon has been devastating. That's why an almost eerie feeling swept over me Friday when I realized that the show I was currently entrenched in was a pretty spot-on depiction of '90s music, but all grown up. EMA was practically delivering an homage to the '90s, the music of The Thermals fit right in with the grunge decade's punk offerings and Wild Flag, of course, featured members of alternative rock legends Sleater-Kinney. Sure, the Beastie Boys were founded in the '80s, but their music had dominated my '90s, and that's why the music on this particular night felt so bittersweet. The show does go on, however, and so do the artists, who all honored MCA in their playing.
EMA was an interesting piece of the lineup. For the first half of their set, the gothic undertones of "The Crow" soundtrack played heavily into their music, as they mashed mournful sounds with distinct drum and violin notes. Lead singer Erika M. Anderson evoked a riot goth grrrl persona, and when she played her guitar, she was manic and intense. It was ironic to see the band as Hole-like at times, with a Courtney Love-type character at their helm, considering EMA gained such notoriety last year covering Nirvana's “Endless Nameless” for Spin's Nevermind tribute album.
They were their best at their more uptempo moments, when their instrumentation was at its dirtiest. This included a song that felt very much like Sleigh Bells, if Sleigh Bells were packing a full band behind them. None of this means EMA deserved as much praise as the bands I am comparing them to, however. Each member of their group showed obvious talent in what they do, but their decisions on what style of music they should make their own was what caused them to fail. It seems this is a frequent occurrence in today's music – bands hold remarkable musical talent, and are able to do what they do well, but don't know what kind of statement they're trying to make with their own sound. Because of this, they end up combining (often not effectively) all the styles they loved of yesterday, and it just ends up not working. EMA is still pretty brand-new, though, so their potential to grow and create something unique, and successfully their own, is more than possible.
As for The Thermals, they've already spent years defining who they are, and it's inspiring to see the fame they've gained with it. Their music had honestly never appealed much to me in that it felt, for some unclear reason, too 'safe,' and not debauchery-driven enough. But after seeing them live, for the first time, I have shaken all of those nonsensical preconceptions out the window. The Thermals are absolutely a rockin' band, and carry a contagious pop-punk demeanor along with them.
They literally tore through their set at full-speed, with all engines on. Opening with “Returning to the Fold,” the fans went nuts, shouting the lyrics back at the band with as much energy as they could. This was definitely an all-ages show, and the young'uns moshed as best as they knew how. “Here's Your Future,” a fantastic punk charger of a song, had the trio simultaneously playing their instruments at the fastest I've ever seen, unleashing the crowd into yet another frenzy.
It truly was great to watch the teenaged and adult fans at the show display similarly honest admiration for these hometown heroes. The Thermals really are a feel-good band, but not in a cheesy way, whatsoever. They easily appeal to an all-ages kind of crowd, which I'm sure the youthful ones appreciate, in knowing their parents will never disapprove of them listening to the band. The Thermals gave an appropriate shout-out to MCA, then closed with the glorious and superfast “A Pillar of Salt.” It was a terrific ending to the set that helped convert me into a fan of the band I've been unnecessarily neglecting for far too long.
Waiting for the ladies of Wild Flag to take the stage made it seem like the crowd's energy level had been plugged into a power source. 14-year-old girls screamed for Carrie Brownstein as if she was Britney Spears, and it made me wonder if they even knew who Sleater-Kinney was. Brownstein's rise to mainstream acclaim with Portlandia had also made her more well known with those who know nothing of her musical background, and I can only hope many of them were in the crowd for the very impressive performance her and the rest of the band put on.
This was definitely the most badass group of ladies I've ever seen on stage. Janet Weiss murdered the drums as co-vocalist Mary Timony slathered on heavy guitar, and Rebecca Cole danced feverishly as she beat on the keyboards. Meanwhile Brownstein erased any connection fans might have to her role on the IFC sketch comedy, often growling out the lyrics through her mic as she furiously strummed her guitar. They did stumble a bit in the first of their songs, however. At times I questioned whether Timony was heavily narcotized, or just trying to act it, as she erratically messed around with her guitar with a dopey look plastered on her face. They also seemed to be forcing the beginning of the set, and had trouble playing as a collective unit. The set was halfway over before the ladies started to truly gel, surprising considering how long 3/4 of the group have worked together.
When they finally got it together, though, their music lit up. It was then that Wild Flag's music felt like such an empowering thing for women, particularly in that it is, without a doubt, unisex. They don't convey a feministic attitude, and are breaking musical barriers by seeming to say, “I don't have to be a boy to sound like one.”
“Racehorse” was them at their most unstoppable, and as the ladies joined in vocal unison, it felt they were channeling The Runaways. Wild Flag do a terrific job at trading up vocals, but when all four of them are singing at once, it's chill-inducing. Brownstein took it to an almost a capella level with the lyrics 'put your money where your sweet, sweet mouth is,' but as soon as the instruments kicked back in, it quickly turned into a deafening jam.
They announced their closer of “Romance” with “This is the only love song we're gonna do tonight, and we want to dedicate it to MCA.” The moment of silence Brownstein had after saying those words almost seemed to bring a tear to her eye. Their fierce performance of the tune was a perfect way to say good-bye to the amazing Mr. Yauch, and it was as if they were saying thank you to the man who helped make music what it is today.
