Rain fell at a leisurely pace this past Tuesday night on South Street, but the weather couldn’t dampen the spirit of the crowd that had gathered at the Theatre of the Living Arts to hear Philly natives Work Drugs’ laidback dance grooves, a rare DJ set from Grimace Federation, and of course, Brooklyn’s trio of musical intensity aptly named Battles.
Wes Schwartz from Grimace Federation led the way by helping to set the mood conjuring up dance-y beats from behind his MacBook Pro, gear and wires that were set up at the right side of the stage. Schwartz (being a lover of electronica and obscure underground hip hop) laid down soundscapes and segues that naturally flowed and fit the vibe of the evening. He was also assisted by Grimace Federation’s bassist Jim Calverese, who added his sonic flourishes on the MPC sampler. The band will be in full-effect for their every other week Wednesday night summer residency at Kung Fu Necktie starting July 18.
Work Drugs took over the stage next with their simple infectious grooves that methodically swept through the audience. The symptoms progressed in the following order. Initially, the hazy rhythms of songs like “Flying Zambo” and “Third Wave” implored you into a state of relaxation releasing the built-up tension from a long day. Once the body was set free; the mind followed suit. The multi-voiced whispers of the line “Static starts to break through” in “Flying Zambo” hypnotically engaged the onlookers while the pulsating beats and question of “Whatever happened to brotherly?” in “Physical Acts” roused the locals. The up-tempo percussion of “License to Drive” melded extremely well with the cool injection of guitar quickly gaining the crowd’s approval.
Shortly after the conclusion of Work Drugs’ set, Battles hit the stage and the energy in the room skyrocketed. Drummer John Stanier was flanked on each side by keyboardist/guitarist Ian Williams and bassist/guitarist Dave Konopka. Kicking off their set with “Africastle,” the band jumped out of the gate at a sprinter’s pace and never looked backed. The beginning of “Africastle” combined tiptoeing keys with stirring guitar work that seemed to instruct the rest of the outfit before heavy-hitting drums crashed the party and the full-on musical assault began. While some bands demonstrate a nonchalant attitude, this trio continuously advanced – not settling for brief flashes of heat, instead building a sonic fire as each member fanned the flames. Williams played a balancing act between a pair of keyboards while interjecting guitar riffs, and Konopka demonstrated similar dexterity handling bass and guitar duties. Stanier’s unrelenting attack on the drum kit was a sight to behold. On the few tracks that contained vocals such as “Atlas,” “Ice Cream,” or “My Machines” the vocalist were projected on monitors, which were synced to the set throughout the evening adding visual simulation to the aural experience. No amount of precipitation could put out Battles’ fire on this evening.
You can check out our photos from all three sets
HERE.
