Friday Night Freak Folk
It was Friday night and I had arrived to Warsaw just in time to see a bunch of bright yellow women (?), with 2-foot tall fright wigs singing a very odd karaoke style rock music. The group, The Girls of Karen Black, looked like Elvira on The Simpsons, only without the cleavage. Their performance set a very odd tone for the night, especially with their cover of Celine Dions horrendous classic My Heart Will Go On.
French beat-boxer, Tez followed. With the appearance and mannerisms of a nerdy his mind-blowing abilities were even more breathtaking. Tez was able to pull off bass, drums and vocals at times with the most not an instrument in sight, beyond his own voice.
Although the sold out crowd seemed to enjoy the two openers, they were there for Coco Rosie, and the sister duo did not dispoint. The female leaders of the freak folk movement brought extra life to their songs that dont always work as well on record, while a video screen provided for a unique visual backdrop to their playing. With toy instruments, a harp, a beat-boxer (Tez) providing percussion and other more normal instrumentation setting the vibe, the performance peaked whenever Sierra Casadys phenomenal operatic voice went into effect. And while Biancas odd vocal style may not have as powerful as her sisters, it did compliment Sierras vocals nicely. As for the set, it was loaded with songs off of their new album, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn, but it was the lovely By Your Side that really stuck with me after the performance had ended.
The Casady sisters are Rainbow Warriors
Bianca Casady with the Care Bears as her backing band
Sierra Casady on harp
Tez
NYC underground stars, The Girls of Karen Black
Photos courtesy of [Jonny-Leather]