Webster Hall is a 1500-capacity venue and, no surprise, was sold-out. They did two nights here (we were at the 2nd night), and then came back to NY later to do Madison Square Gardens. Maybe they didn't realize the demand a tour supporting their new record, Sol Invictus, would generate.
Le Butcherettes opened and were energetic, fun and edgy. The lead singer, Teri Gender Bender is a born showman reminding me of Nina Hagen in a blood-red outfit with dramatically jerky physicality.
Steve was a trooper but after the opener, left me to the sweaty floor on the edge of the pit, and stationed himself at the bar.
Right off the bat, the stage and the band was a visual feast. Boys in white linen, flowers everywhere, the stage bathed in a series of solid-coloured lights...blue, red, white, yellow, purple.
My god. What a show. It totally lived up to what I imagined a FNM show would be like. I'd seen Mike Patton with Peeping Tom in 2008, so I knew how compelling a front man he is, but the whole band was so "on" and energetic. There was a little New York-baiting banter, but it always seems like everything Patton says could be dripping with disdain as he cocks an eyebrow and stares down the crowd. Roddy Bottum shared vocal singing and banter duties and was positioned at the front left of the stage. I particularly loved their back and forth on Superhero.
Getting to experience Midlife Crisis, Evidence, Everything's Ruined, We Care a Lot, From Out of Nowhere and Epic live was a mind-blowing treat.
Being a Peeping Tom fan, another bonus was Rahzel coming on stage and doing We Care A Lot with them. His vocal tricks and beatboxing perfectly matched the pounding tune, and he added a whole new rap to the mix. A fitting NY treat.
Setlist:
Motherfucker
Be Aggressive
Caffeine
Evidence
Epic
Sunny Side Up
Get Out
Midlife Crisis (video)
Everything's Ruined
The Gentle Art of Making Enemies
Easy
We Care A Lot (with Rahzel) (video)
King For a Day
Ashes to Ashes
Superhero
Encore:
Matador
From Out of Nowhere (video)
Le Butcherettes Setlist:
Burn the Scab
Demon Stuck in Your Eye
The Devil Lived
Boulders Love over Layers of Rock
I'm Getting Sick of You
Shave the Pride
Bang!
The Leibniz Language
Your Weakness Gives Me Life
Henry Don't Got Love
