Company of Thieves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janelle Monae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chester French

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Black Joe Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scouting For Girls & Delays, Bowery Ballroom

One way to sum up Scouting for Girls is that their calling is to provide the backdrop for catchy TV show commercials (I couldn’t shake “She’s So Lovely” out of my head when BBC America began airing Gavin & Stacey recently).  Upon hearing the song in the flesh at Bowery, it was clear that these UK #1 chart dominators could easily drown/saturate/conquer mainstream America with their catchy brand of rhythmic rock.  Simple as that.  No frills, they are not trying to be decadent or grandiose as are others lost amidst their massive musical spectrum.  If you’re looking for feel-good fun, handclaps and flailing fists in the air to anthemic verses, then the Scouts are the most current, fresh band out there reppin’.

Delays took the last slot, playing a dreamy set (what else would I want to hear at 1am?), showcasing their notoriously harmonious vocals and shoegaze to a semi-packed audience who missed their presence in NYC.  Both band and fans acknowledged that it’s been four years since the Southampton lovelies last graced us with their welcome gig.  Playing tracks off of their third release, Everything’s The Rush, the Gilbert brothers delivered a synthed-out, yet guitar-heavy dancefest that had us moving, then pausing, with classics from Faded Seaside Glamour like “Nearer Than Heaven” and “Long Time Coming.”  The sparkling eve closed the gem “Valentine” from You See Colours, their sophomore effort.   Most sigh-worthy moment of the night: their mellifluous cover of the Nico relic, “These Days,” sending chills down my spine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delays

–Andrea D’Alessandro/Photos by Tear-n Tan