Parquet Courts – Down At The Front

Parquet Courts at Rough Trade

Paul Hudson — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 22:06:47 +0000

Great evening in the presence of the fantastic Parquet Courts. They’re a bloody good and talented band. Tonight was a more mainstream performance without them heading too far into the Velvet Underground territory. But it was still a good performance and great to see them in a small venue.

Parquet Courts

Paul Hudson — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 21:32:28 +0000

I saw Parquet Courts earlier in the year before the release of their latest album. I noted how at times they had a great Velvet Underground sound but that I’d expected an evening of explosive 2 minute songs and so I was maybe slightly disappointed. With the release of their excellent Sunbathing Animal album it’s clear that their sound is evolving so I decided to give them another listen with some updated expectations.

The line-up for the evening was pretty good. Ultimate Painting, a band comprising band members from Mazes and Veronica Falls, were first up. I like both bands and enjoyable though their performance was, Ultimate Painting wasn’t a sum of it’s parts lacking the doom gothiness of Veronica Falls and the infectious guitar loops of Mazes.

Ultimate Painting

Next up were the Wytches, one of my favourite bands for the last 12 months. I’ve mentioned the Wytches before. They’re simply one of the best live bands around at the moment.

The Wytches

With a different set of expectations and familiarity of their new materials. Tonight’s gig was a different experience. Parquet Courts were excellent. Their new material sounded fantastic and as previously mentioned, their longer VU-like material sounded brilliant. The only downside for me (and clearly the band) was a group of pissed students (probably underage) decided to have their own party in front of the band calling for songs throughout the songs they weren’t familiar with and showing complete disinterest when the VU-inspired songs by sitting on the stage with their backs to the band. I felt like punching them. So god knows what the band felt like.

Parquet Courts

Parquet Courts at the Electric Ballroom

Paul Hudson — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 22:38:42 +0000

Listening to Parquet Courts album would leave you with the impression that these guys are the master of 2 minute songs with a DIY/punk sensibility. What it doesn’t prepare you for is a masterclass in controlled Velvet Underground inspired, feedback induced 10 minute long songs.

But I’m jumping ahead of myself. Tonight’s gig at the Electric Ballroom was an NME Award show. Support coming in the shape of Eagulls

I’ve seen Eagulls before. The first time, a single impressive song at SXSW. But I’ve since seen them play a longer set that left me less impressed. Tonight was also of the ‘less impressive’ variety. Don’t get me wrong, I like their recordings. But for some reason the live performances leave me indifferent. I suspect it’s a lot to do with the mixing. The vocals are often low in the mix, which was the case tonight. Having heard a great song at SXSW, they are clearly capable of something. Maybe they just need the right venue with the right sound guy?

After the Eagulls unfortunately left me cold, Parquet Courts came on. My earlier comparison to Velvet Underground may be surprising, but it has some basis in reality. Live, many of their album songs transformed into 10 minute long songs, and not with a little bit of skill. Although impressive, enjoyable and surprising, I did wonder if this was what I really wanted from the gig. I like the intensity of the album and I have to admit being just a little bit disappointed that the same intensity isn’t captured on stage. But that’s a bit churlish, because if I’d gone in expecting what I’d heard, I would have left thoroughly pleased.