He said... A
There are two sides of rock 'n' roll: fiery power and cool swagger. At the Black Cat on Saturday, two lesser-known New York bands personified these elements. Opener We Are Scientists ignited the audience and headliner Ambulance LTD made everything chill.
We Are Scientists' bass player Chris Cain joked that his band's set would make the crowd weep with envy of their songwriting prowess. However it wasn't so much the music but rather the trio's sheer excitement that made them so fun to watch. Oh sure, they had some catchy tunes - like singles "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "The Great Escape" - but what really made the set was constantly-smiling singer Keith Murray's jumping around and Cain's good humor.
Then Ambulance LTD arrived on the scene and proceeded to convert We Are Scientists' high anxiety rock into cool, bluesy hypnosis. Channeling the Kinks, Beach Boys, Beatles, Velvet Underground and nearly every other sweet band from that era, Ambulance showed outstanding musicality. On old songs like "Yoga Means Union" and new ones like "Totally," the group showed the restraint of veteran performers. They listened to each other and rocked out when the time was right.
After the last bounce of Ambulance's encore cover of Lou Reed's "The Ocean," the surprisingly good show came to a close. The audience filed out of the club satisfied and nearly deaf.
Despite their abilities to captivate music lovers, neither Ambulance LTD nor We Are Scientists are very well known outside of their New York City home. But after a show of equal portions tension and release, it's easy to predict they won't be waiting for breakout success much longer.
- Adam Bender
She said... A-
A year ago, the Killers breezed through D.C. After racing through roughly six songs atop 9:30's stage, lead singer Brandon Flowers, looking as bored as a cheerleader in church, announced the set was one song away from being done. The manic, sold out crowd booed jokingly, to which Flowers sarcastically quipped, "Wait. How much did you pay for your tickets?" Well, $12, Brandon. You monumentally affected jerk.
Most ironically, that night's opener, Ambulance - officially Ambulance LTD, a sincere, blues-infused indie rock quartet from New York City who had already blown Flowers and Co. away - is more than happy to headline for $12, as they did at the Black Cat this past Saturday.
"Next is Ambulance. They'll blow your minds - in a great way," opener We Are Scientists lead singer/guitarist Keith Murray fittingly announced post-set. Although his poppy crooning of songs mainly about misunderstood love and being drunk at parties, including recent hit "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt," achieved decent heights, the band of lovable nerds mostly served as a plateau for Ambulance to ascend to and elevate.
And elevate they did. With influences ranging from Motown to '60s psychedelic pop/blues to '90s shoegazing, the band has already found success in the U.K. while touring Europe and the U.S. for over a year. "We don't kick much ass volume wise," Ambulance lead singer/guitarist Marcus Congleton admits. "Conceptually, poetically, we kick ass. Atmospherically, we kick ass."
While We Are Scientists bassist Chris Cain looked not unlike Kip from "Napoleon Dynamite," Congleton was as gorgeous as ever. Every hair of his hiply shorn 'do was in its right place. His loose T-shirt and jeans proved his posse doesn't have to work hard to impress D.C. anymore, a far cry from last year's three-piece suit band uniform. His blue eyes roved the audience meaningfully. His pouty, expressive lips cooed honey. Empires fell, women swooned and men blazed with jealousy.
The loyal crowd knew its stuff, singing along euphorically and delaying beer refills and bathroom breaks. The lads served up crowd pleasers like "Anecdote," "Stay Where You Are" and the breathy "uh-huhs" of "Primitive (The Way I Treat You)," peppered with bluesy, soulful new tunes they've been banging out while on the road. The quintessential closer "Yoga Means Union," a five-minute instrumental track that builds slowly into a dizzying blur of pitch-perfect guitar work between Congleton and guitarist Benji Lysaght, garnered much applause and deafened all in attendance.
"Thanks, D.C. You're always amazing," Congleton said, smiling coyly as he departed the stage with lanky hands in pockets. No, Ambulance: for remaining humble guys in the gritty word of rock 'n' roll, thank you.
- Marissa Newhall
