Dark industrialists stun with spectacular visuals and dizzying energy
It was a dark night at the Rickshaw Stop on 12/28. Droves of music fans, clad in black, funneled in throughout the evening to enjoy the darker side of synth music, and while some folks are near impossible to please, it was pretty obvious that this was one of those nights that would be remembered. It’s not often that an electronic music show is perfectly curated, but clearly The Black Queen was not screwing around when they booked their tour mates.
While most gothy hipster types can’t really be bothered to do more than a head nod, opening solo electro act Vogel got a number of people moving with his aggressive blend of industrial and dance. Local boy Lavender filled in the TBA spot playing a vibey blend of dark ambient and minimalist darkwave and if anyone thought the lighting scheme couldn’t get darker, Black Queen member Josh Eustis performed a Telefon Tel Aviv solo set that juiced up the crowd perfectly.
Following Telefon Tel Aviv’s set, the room was filled with smoke from a hazer, to the point that it seemed Karl the Fog had fully infiltrated the small rock-and-roll club. When the jarring synth waves and electric guitar filled the room with sound, the lights exploded, revealing the band who then proceeded to utterly destroy the evening with pure sonic deliciousness. The craft that went into these songs was so intensified by the performance, it was like hearing the songs for the first time. Anyone who has ever seen The Dillinger Escape Plan knows that Greg Puciato is a force to be reckoned with. He is a commander of the stage, the place where he is most at home, and he knows it. He is never distracted from the goal at hand, and he connects with the crowd, feeding on their energy and spitting it right back at them.
Opening the set with “Distanced”, and ending it with a double-guitar explosion of sound on “Apocalypse Morning”, it is without a doubt that The Black Queen are a band that everyone should be keeping their eye on. One can easily imagine them sharing stages with Nine Inch Nails or Depeche Mode, shrouding the world with their exquisite blend of post-pop darkness.
Note: Unfortunately there were no setlists to be found at this show.
Additional photos from the show below. All photos are © 2016 Oliver Brink.
