If you ask anyone I know, they’ll tell you I have always said, “Nothing is cuter than Siamese Triplets who have a penchant for electronic keyboards.” It’s true, though it has gotten me plenty of curious stares and disapproving frowns. And nothing was cuter, until last night, at the Peter Bjorn & John show at Chicago’s Empty Bottle.
Opening up for the Swedish pop rock trio was Au Revoir Simone, a Brooklyn based electronic band, which is comprised of three girls who rocked out on their synthesizers and drum machines. Playing songs off their debut album, Verses of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation and their sophomore follow up The Bird of Music, Au Revoir Simone charmed their audience with their wispy songs and breathy sound. The three girls played side by side and somehow overwhelmed my personal cuteness barometer that had been previously set by my fetish for musically conjoined triplets.
The main attraction, Peter, Bjorn & John, entered to a sitar version of “Young Folks” blaring over the PA. The lively band leapt unto stage and began their set with “Let’s Call it Off”, a personal favorite off their latest album, Writer’s Block. Though they had a few technical issues with Peter’s guitar at first, their enthusiasm for their music would warm over any jaded scenester’s heart. I don’t know if it was when some overzealous hippy girl pushed her way to the front of the stage during “Amsterdam” only to garner a laugh from Bjorn as he sang while she gyrated in typical hippie fashion, or the two over forty women swaying side by side during ‘Objects of my Affection’ as if lamenting over their days as groupies long gone, or perhaps during ‘Up against the Wall’ when Peter stopped singing due to a self exclaimed brain storm that had caused him to forget his own lyrics, but the night held a magic quality that could not be explained.
When they finally did play “Young Folks,” Heather from Au Revoir Simone came on stage to sing the girl part. As they crooned at each other I am certain people’s nether regions moistened. They played three songs for their encore and left their pining audience satisfied and bemusing happily as they left the venue. In my opinion, that is the mark of an amazing rock band.
4 Comments »
i loved the show! PB&J need a Live DVD! it would be freakin fantastic.
they fucked the shit outta every song! it was so amazing. the new live versions i think are possibly better than!
my pants are so moist!
you said moistened…dear god why, still….very solid review
[...] going to sing the girl part during “Young Folks” at the Peter Bjorn & John show at The Empty Bottle, and when I discovered I enjoyed dancing naked in front of my mirror to the soothing sounds that [...]
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Comment by joiezabel — May 9, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
nice review. except it is really not politically correct to make siamese twin/triplet jokes. i am sure someone will be offended. and i can\’t wait.