Cold War Kids @ Pianos, NYC 5/1/06
Cold War Kids' jaunt through New York couldn't come at a better time. The Internet has been awash with the band's EP cuts, and we branded 'em a Band To Watch. And watch we have. After last week's show at Bowery, we geared up for the first of a three night stand at Pianos. Last night was CWK's proper introduction to the masses. Bloggers, industry types and indie-rock lover David Cross piled into the room on Ludlow for a glance at the latest web-buzz boys. Verdict? These Reagan babies are definitely worth your time. And just a little patience.
The Bowery show belonged to another band, but this night was for the Kids. CWK served up some blues influenced yelp-rock with a dose of soul-clapping swagger. They twitch and they bound, while their songs pulse and still sound full -- despite some sparse passages of stick-tapped Pellegrino bottles, muted guitars and two-note bass lines. But when you open with songs as great as "We Used To Vacation" and "Hang Me Up To Dry," you run the risk of a mid-set let down. And we got a bit of one. If the band has a weakness, it isn't in performance; it's in the sameness of the lesser material.
Cold War Kids bring what the blog machine needs: four awesome MP3s, a fresh synthesis of time-tested influences and an animated stage show. And so we'll continue to write, and watch them grow. As our favorite "indie rock Kingmaker" Ryan Schreiber (Ryan, you gotta put that on your business card) admitted to Washington Post, even a 9.0 act like Clap Your Hands just isn't that great live: "I'm really anticipating their next album. At their heart, they write really good songs. But I think they got too much too soon."
Cold War Kids fans no doubt anticipate the Pitchfork Kingdom's verdict. Whatever it shall be, we'll still be listening.
SETLIST:
1. We Used To Vacation
2. Hang Me Up To Dry
3. Hair Down
4. Saint John
5. Robbers
6. Hospital Beds
7. Rubidox
8. Expensive Tastes
9. Sermons V The Gospel
Posted at 3:51 PM in Concert
Tags: Cold War Kids
they've been a 'band to watch' for quite awhile here in LA. they had a residency at the silverlake lounge last summer. good for them that they rose up in the blogasphere.
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Will see these guys in Austin June 13th, cant wait. Found a great band "the politics" check them out at my blog
http://ultra8201.blogspot.com
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I thought you of all people would find this funny. I recorded a gag rap about KFED. It's now being played all over the country. I've been doing radio interviews about it all over the world for almost a month. The thing is, I'm not a rapper, even though articles have been written that claim that I am. I actually wanted to express how I felt about the guy, so I recorded this song and sent it to the man himself.
You can hear it at:
http://www.myspace.com/discothekidrules
Hope it makes you laugh even a little.
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jesus christ. hype bands are getting more and more riidiculous and come in and out the door faster and faster
arcade fire, I get it
clap hands, errr
love is all, hmmm
tapes n tapes, snooooze
what the fuck is this newest piece of shit?
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oh man, i've been digging cold war kids since i saw 'em two weeks ago down in FL. can't stop listening to the ep's. unlike the bitter poster who commented above me, i think this is the best "hype band" i've heard in at least the past 3 years. whatever. thanks for this write up, i wish i lived in NYC!
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it must have been awesome to see these guys in a room the size of pianos! wish i was in the LES to sheck it out!
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I'm sorry that I can't help posting everytime you mention CWK - but I absolutely love them. "Put out the fire boys, don't stop. Don't stop" has been stuck in my head since I heard them perform at their (double) EP release show weeks ago.
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a norton shirt AND a rickenbocker?! AAAAND facial hair?!?! it's almost all to indie for me to take.
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Shirts, guitars and facial hair is indie?? Wait, by "indie" do you mean "normal items one would expect to find on stage while a band is performing"?
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boring ass cali-indie derivative pap - put em in the voxtrot here today and gone tomorrow pile?
and a side note - why the fuck do the black keys get to open for radiohead in ny in june? ain't that like tired white boy blues shit shoved down one's throat before one gets to experience really talented aural rock bliss out? i guess selway the drummer likes them or something -
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I saw these guys in Lubbock a little while ago when they opened for Two Gallants. They put on an excellent show. Plus, the guitarist bummed a cigarette off me, and he seemed like a real nice guy.
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Record company EMI sign a deal with the estate of crooner Dean Martin to use the singer's likeness...
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Cold War Kids are being featured on the Backstage Pass. Here is the link:
http://www.mtvu.com/music/backstage_pass/
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We interviewed them on a playground in Austin during SXSW. Hilarious stuff.
http://www.genartpulse.com/archives/2007/03/on_the_playgrou.php
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