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Concert Review: Dandys Bridge the Gap from Catchy to Complex-(Northwestern U.)
By: Nancy Einhart - U-WIRE
January 26th 2001 12:12am
(U-WIRE) EVANSTON, Ill. -- The Dandy Warhols shamelessly embody almost every rock-band stereotype. They've got a hipster lead singer with a vacant stare who looks as if he spends 20 minutes perfecting his messy coif. They've got a token girl, who shakes her hips and plays the keyboard and tambourine. And then there are the aloof guitarist and trumpet player, who spend most of their time hiding behind their respective shaggy locks and cowboy hat. But somehow, when the Dandy Warhols play live, you can't help but fall for all of it. Songs that only tingle on the Dandys' three albums come to full climax onstage, taking on a more textured, ethereal dimension. Atmospheric sound, mood and visuals meld together to elevate fairly simple music to the level of a powerful multi-sensory experience. Chicago audiences got a taste of the band's somewhat contrived spell on Sunday, when the Dandys played the WXRT-sponsored double bill with Smash Mouth at the House of Blues. Though technically a "free" concert, everyone in attendance either skipped a day of work to score a ticket on the radio or paid a high price for the not-so-free tickets scalped outside the club. Before the Smash Mouth fans swarmed, a crowded but comfortable throng surrounded the Dandys, who tore through a set that wavered effortlessly from animated to mellow to mildly psychedelic. The band flawlessly delivered with appetizing energy, from the undulating, layered melodies of "Godless" and "Be-In" to the punchy Bowie-esque "Shakin'" and the sweaty "Get Off." The pop number "Boys Better" had the audience most energized, prompting the crowd to bounce en masse with the saccharin energy of a Gap ad, which, incidentally, was probably the first place most non-fans heard this track. Though the now-commercial jingle doesn't exactly showcase the band's complexity, their live act proves the Dandy Warhols quite capable of reaching far deeper.
(C) 1999 Daily Northwestern via U-WIRE
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