Blonde Redhead Sells Out Terminal 5
After my last trip to Terminal 5, I have been trying to avoid the temptation to go back. The last trip to the venue left me never wanting to return after I was unable to enjoy Ween, due to the terrible set up and overcrowding of the new venue. A bill that included School of Seven Bells, The Raveonettes, and Blonde Redhead was just enough to make me let down my guard and give Terminal 5 a second chance. Making sure to arrive early, I was able to reserve a good spot, along the railing of the 3rd floor. (Tip: Never arrive late to a concert at Terminal 5, unless you like wasting your money and having things o complain about.) While the sound would not be as good as on the floor, I knew the floor would be too uncomfortably crowded to appreciate the difference in sound. Sipping on my $9 Jack & Coke (tip for venue: charge less and people will drink more=more profits) , I looked on as former Secret Machines guitarist Benjamin Curtis carried his new band, School of Seven Bells, through an impressive set. Still maintaining the influence of krautrock, School of Seven Bells features twin sister vocal duo Alejandra and Claudia Deheza (formerly of On! Air! Library!). Still a relatively new band, you can expect to see them develop as a force in the New York scene in 2008.
Next up was Danish duo The Raveonettes. From start to finish, they killed, with their blend of 50s greaser/wall of sound guitars and shoegazer distortion. Using the set to promote their upcoming release, Lust, Lust Lust Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner stuck to a set loaded with catchy new songs that stay true to their sound. Fortunately, the few older songs the band chose to include were excellent choices with My Tornado and That Great Love Sound.
Headlining the night was Blonde Redhead, and by the time the trio secured their spots on stage, the venue was packed. The second band of the night to feature twins, Blonde Redheads set was a perfect mix of their best work, mostly focusing on their brilliant last three records. Over the course of these last three albums, the bands fan base has grown significantly, but it was still a pleasant surprise to see them sell out such a large space. The sell out crowd was pretty quiet in their applause, but the songs kept coming, played with perfect precision, and by the time the amps turned off, there was nothing left to be desired.
Photos courtesy of [Jonny-Leather]