The Wombats, Blender Theater at Gramercy, NYC. June 3, 2008
The wonderful Yvonne Penzakov went to the Blender theater to check out Almack’s favorites Jukebox the Ghost and the Wombats. Here’s her report:
Last time I was in London The Wombats’ A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation made its way into the Tower of Pisa precariously balanced in my arms at Zavvi. Since then I’ve been pogoing around my bedroom to it quite frequently, so I was super excited to get the chance to witness them live and pogo along in real time.
The Blender Theater at Gramercy is an odd little place comprised of a top shelf in the back with rows of seats and a bottom shelf of regular standing room. For a place so small I am surprised to see a barrier between the crowd and the stage. I’m sure it serves a legitimate safety purpose, but the tiny brain of a super-fan (mine/me) asks, what are we really going to do except completely worship you (the band)?
The gap between crowd and stage proves to be the photographers’ pit. That’s where I find myself as Jukebox the Ghost starts their set, but after snapping a couple of pictures I desperately yearn to go back and be a part of the crowd. The five or six photographers scurry around the pit pushing their lenses into the boys’ faces as I make my way back behind the gate to properly experience the night.
Jukebox the Ghost warms up the crowd with their Ben Folds inspired piano rock and We Are Scientists style stage banter. They are a bit like Ra Ra Riot with their textured and layered sounds, but you can count all the members of JtG on one hand. I’m no stranger to “ugh… opening band syndrome.” I think we’ve all been there. It’s creeping up on 9 or 10 and the doors are opening at the venue and you’re a lump on the couch at home or nearing the end of a meal. Do I get up and go now? Do I wait it out a little more? Who’s this band opening for Number One Mega-Rock Hero? Wait, exactly how many of these opening bands are there going to be?
But then sometimes you get lucky with the opening act, and Jukebox the Ghost falls firmly in this category. I always like when a band actually interacts with the audience. I’m a sucker for jokes and stories about the songs and am pleased as punch that this particular opening band did not disappoint. They close their set to big cheers and with a promise that they’d be back our way later in June at Union Hall.
Then comes The Wombats. At about 10:15 the Liverpool lads saunter out to the last notes of Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon.” At first glance, guitarist Matthew Murphy could pass for the lost Jonas Brother, minus the makeup and purity ring. Murphy, Dan Haggis (drums) and Tord Overland-Knudsen (bass) huddle together on one microphone to dazzle us with their harmonizing skills on “Tales of Girls, Boys & Marsupials.” I’m instantly hooked; they sound amazing live, no creaking, cracking or missteps, just pure velvety voices. It’s their third ever show in New York, they tell us, and it’s the biggest yet. The boys then split for their instruments and barrel into “Kill the Director” getting the crowd chanting along with its infectious “This is no/Bridget Jones/This is no/Bridget Bridget” chorus.
Piggybacking Jukebox the Ghost’s jovial attitude, The Wombats invite us to “caress the buttocks of someone you don’t know – the harder you grab the better.” I didn’t observe much caressing, seeing as most New Yorkers take themselves way too seriously to loosen up to that extent, but I imagine in Europe it’s a big hit.
By the time they whip out the big guns, hit single “Moving to New York,” even the security guards are bouncing along to the massive sounds coming out of only three people. Before closing the set with “Let’s Dance to Joy Division,” Murphy explains the band has yet to learn the art of the proper encore. So he warns they will walk off and walk back on again whether we clap or not. He pleads for overtly fake applause to match the fake encore, but he does not get his wish. The crowd is completely genuine with hoots and hollers and even a few yippees.
They finish up the night with “Backfire at the Disco” and from my point of view, everyone in the bottom shelf is dancing. The top shelf is a different story. They all look bored and tired, but maybe there was a carbon monoxide leak back there or something.
Here is Jukebox the Ghost:
Here are the Wombats:
