Brooklyn-based band TV on the Radio embarked on a nationwide tour in New Orleans at Republic in the Warehouse District.
TV on the Radio played for about an hour on Sept. 14, ending the show with a three-song encore. Their set was compiled of an equal mix of music from their first CD, “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes” and their new CD, “Return to Cookie Mountain.”
TV on the Radio initially achieved success due to a strong underground indie following, as well as the public accolades they got from David Bowie, who is a big fan of their music.
They broke out in 2003 as one of the forerunners of the now-saturated Brooklyn rock scene. Much more creative and original than all their Brooklyn counterparts, TV on the Radio is propelled by the heavy buzz surrounding their two early EPs (“New Healph Rock” and “Young Liars”).
The band released its debut full-length album “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes” to almost universal acclaim in 2004. While most indie rock seems to always sound the same, TV on the Radio has a unique sound that separates them from the others.
While their music is hard to classify, they are able to merge elaborately harmonized vocals with elements of ’90s shoegazer instrumental drums and electronic production elements that create a unique sound.
“Return to Cookie Mountain” demonstrates a much greater level of focus and continuity than their first album.
The music’s strength in this album lies in its unique ability to possess dreamy undertones, while at the same time being intensely intimate. Both of their CDs are great albums to listen to from start to finish, flowing really well from song to song. Their sound is melodramatic and soft, yet it still maintains a steady beat throughout.
Live, TV on the Radio obviously opts more toward the intense portion of their repertoire, performing even the most delicate of their songs with a sometimes shocking degree of rock ‘n’ roll. While their live show had a different sound than their albums, their set flowed nicely from one song to another.
The live show was not as polished as one would expect after listening to the studio work. It was raw and felt like a different band played their songs. With a more upbeat, punk feel to the show that I anticipated after listening to their CDs, I was still satisfied with the performance.
For most of the concert the whole band danced, as did the crowd. Singer Tunde Adebimpe had two microphone stands set up on stage but was so active around the stage, he continuously knocked them over, forcing their roadie to constantly have to set them back upright.
All too often bands focus on looking or sounding a certain way on stage to create an image, and they forget to have fun. This was not the case for TV on the Radio, who was able to rock out, have a good time and still play well.
At one point in the show Adebimpe sung into a megaphone, which resonated into the microphone, creating an interesting vocal effect, adding another level of intensity to their performance. Guitarist David Sitek attached wind chimes to the end of his guitar that jingled during the entire set.
Little things like this made the band fun to see live. Instead of letting expensive gear get in the way of having a good time, TV on the Radio just played their music, putting on a successful live show that was actually worth seeing.
Victoria Lodi can be reached at [email protected].
