Jenny West: Music For Chameleons writesDeerhoof Live Show Didn’t Disappoint

by: Jenna Chapman

Whenever I want a friend to check out a band I’m really into, I usually recommend an “access point”: a particular album or song that provides a good introduction to the band’s sound and acts as a gateway to the rest of their work.

Deerhoof is one of those rare acts whose “access point”, in my mind, is their live show. It’s difficult to pick one album - let alone a single track - that captures the eccentricity, energy, and enthusiasm of Deerhoof’s singular sound. All of these traits were on full display last Tuesday night at the Bottom Lounge, and despite a set list that was surprisingly frontloaded with new material, everyone in attendance was undoubtedly along for the ride.

The night kicked off with the crowd trickling in as Kentuckian trio White Reaper took the stage. Those that managed to make it for their set certainly benefitted from this electric booster-shot of high-energy, solid rock tracks capped off with a killer cover of KISS’s “I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night” that featured a surprise guest: erstwhile Flaming Lips member Kliph Scurlock on drums.

Oh wait, should I have led with that? Anyway, between that and the 6-track EP they have out on Polyvinyl, it’s hard to believe that one of the guys was only celebrating his 21st birthday.

Priests traded in the rock star antics for wall-of-sound intensity, with Katie Alice Greer’s wailing vocals taking us back to Sugarcubes-era Bjork and Siouxsie Sioux. By the end of their set, Greer had gone from a stoic specter to a white-haired banshee, writhing along the stage in towering heels. Priests’ chaotic gloom layered onto Reaper’s earnest charisma created a palette balanced perfectly in preparation for Deerhoof.

Deerhoof, photo by Sasha Goffen

It’s a testament to the accessibility of Deerhoof’s latest record, La Isla Bonita, that they could open with fifteen minutes of new material and keep the audience on board. Overall, the set included more of their noise-rocking, arrhythmic material -- giving Greg Saunier plenty of opportunity to play manic whack-a-mole on the drums (as only he can).

‘Exit Only’, ‘Paradise Girls’, and ‘Doom’ are arguably the most fun tracks on the new album, so by the time they hit ‘Let’s Dance The Jet’ the largely male, parka-clad audience was determinedly head-bopping along. Maybe it was the sound-dampening effect of all those winter coats, or perhaps the constant bass work on the new tracks required greater attention, but Satomi’s signature vocals seemed a little lost in all the other ruckus going on in the first half of the set.

However, the second half focused more on popular highlights from older records, allowing Satomi to fully engage in her cheer-like dance moves and high-pitched linguistic experiments. Crowd favorites on the back nine included ‘Fresh Born, ‘Dummy Discards A Heart’, and ‘Come See The Duck’ – the last of which turned into a sing-a-long at Satomi’s direction and the audience’s enthusiastic participation.

It was a night of compelling performances and camaraderie at the cave-like Bottom Lounge. Guitarist John Dieterich’s relatives were in attendance, but with the niche the band carves for itself, a good Deerhoof show almost feels like a big nerdy musical family reunion for all present, and last Tuesday was certainly no exception.

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