[Pygmalion Music Festival with Butterfly Assassins, Dark Meat and Dan Deacon]
Click the jump for more photos and reviews of Butterfly Assassins, Dark Meat and Dan Deacon!
Butterfly Assassins, Courtyard Cafe:
Butterfly Assassins wowed me. They incorporate a dreamy, circus-y theme into their music that works so, so well for their tunes. The vocals are have a significantly unique tone to them which is one of their biggest appealing fctors, but as impressive they were to me, it’s not the most significant part of this time slot — it’s that I missed Monotonix.
I know.
I thought it would be missable, but apparently, it wasn’t. If anyone has any input to let us know about your personal stories of craziness at the Mon, throw it up on the comments section. Oh, and a quick note — everyone was buzzing about the fact that they played outdoors, but it’s happened before: when John Vanderslice played at Canopy in April. I’ll bet this was ages crazier, though. Share your tales!
Dark Meat, Canopy Club:
LOUD. Above everything, this show was mother fucking LOUD. Even with earplugs, the bodies flailing around on stage playing music — or, as many were referring to it, “noise” — was overwhelming, and for me, not enjoyable enough to stick around for. Sure, there was a significant crowd who seemed to be loving the constant confetti explosions and pom poms, but not everyone agreed:
The outdoor/smoking area was packed. It was like a beer garden, but with a concert next door. As Stan McConnell of Santa said, “This is the most hopping I’ve seen Canopy…ever.” And it was, due to the circumstances. Even though a ton of people were escaping the ear-ringing, throat-hurting noise of Dark Meat, it was a nice, bustling mini-party for those who couldn’t handle the Meat.
Dan Deacon, Canopy Club:
Dan Deacon’s shows, from the two I’ve seen, tend to be very similar, differed mostly by the size and shape of the area human bodies cram into. It’s always the same eyeglass-breaking, shoving, rib-elbowing, sweaty shitshow, and if you’re up for the craziness, it’s a flailingly fun time. A lot of people (mostly the older ones) sat back and watched the insanity unfolding in the dance pit, while others hopped onstage, dancing like crazy.
Well, until this happened:
As I’m sure most of you have heard by now, the stage broke. BROKE. Collapsed. People who were on it were sharing their tales all night of the floor giving out underneath them like it was a mini Titanic or something. Pretty badass.
With the whole crowd now in the pit, Deacon began playing his infamous little crowd games, including a dance off, and a london bridge-esque treat that involves a constant bridge/tunnel being built between pairs of people all around the venue. The show, which ended fifteen minutes early because it was too out of control, was the typical insanity Dan Deacon’s shows turn into, and was entertaining for those dancing and those watching them as well.
The lineup of the night — Monotonix, Dark Meat and Dan Deacon — was summed up well by the men of Oxford Collapse, who believed the trio of tunemakers to be loud and fun to see, but something you’d never sit down and listen to. (I mean, Dark Meat was selling a vinyl.) It may be true, but the kids, going absolutely nuts, seemed to care more about wiggling away and sweating out their stressors of the past week than the music’s substance.
Monotonix:
-simulated sex with various female audience members
-played two songs while standing on the drink rail
-dumped a full garbage can on the drummer
-mock strangled the drummer
-began with their stuff set up on the floor in front of the small stage, and moved forward about 10 feet every few songs
-when they got up to near the sound booth, they had everyone sit down (apparently dan deacon was spotted in the crowd at this point)
-ended up out the doors and into the beer garden. the faces on the people sitting outside smoking were absolutely priceless when those three mostly naked, hairy, screaming jewish guys ran out with nothing but a snare drum
also, if you were outside, you missed the grand finale of the dark meat show when they jammed with the guitarist from monotonix
The stage collapse wasn’t really all that bad, but it happened pretty early (like the first or second song). I lucked out afterwords by just staying back stage after they kicked everyone off, so I got some primo pics and avoided the flailing bodies. I think this sums it up best:
http://picasaweb.google.com/nitramzero/Pygmalion2008thurs#5247633400670347442
Also, I’m pretty sure Deacon had some more material left, but he cut the show when the crowd surfing became unmanageable. People were getting tossed onto the stage and getting mad hurt. The final straw was when someone landed on the trombone player from Dark Meat ‘s head.
NO ONE was hurt. That’s a fact.
Wham City is usually Deacon’s closer, I believe he cut about the last ten minutes of it. Also , there’s a video of the show-ending crowd surfer over at Smile Politely, and it doesn’t look like he hurt anyone either.
yea that is my bud aren. inherent in the dan deacon show is a lot of unfortunate seizing (dancing) that ensues, so i’m glad they were swiftly punished by stage divers/crowd surfers.
stage divers unite.
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