Japandroids :: Photos by Nik Christofferson
December 1st, 2009 - Japandroids @ Chop Suey
You know what I hate? I hate it when I make every attempt to see a band but consistently miss the opportunity for any number of crappy reasons. As is the case with Vancouver’s garage rock juggernauts Japandroids. Let’s see, I intended on seeing them at Sasquatch but they canceled, I meant to see them at the Capitol Hill Block Party but they played opposite Sonic Youth, and most recently I had to leave the KEXP’s BBQ just before they took the stage for a wedding. That’s at least 3 times I know of and am sure I’m forgetting another. Well, I finally caught up with the noisy duo at Chop Suey last Tuesday.
This was the last stop of their American tour on their way home to rock the Canucks for a final time before taking a holiday hiatus. Right off the bat the energy was high, and the duo’s brand of noisy fuzz heavy garage rock was even more fulfilling live than I had imagined. Japandroids’ strategically positioned props allowed them put on the kind of rock show I had only heard about up until this point. The almighty step up to the drum kit allowed for so many Canon Rebel worthy poses by guitarist Brian King that the local photographers probably went home with sore trigger fingers. King also made use of the old fan trick, which fluttered the wild man’s wavy locks while he screamed the tracks off ‘Post-Nothing’.This band was truly photogenic, which explained why just about every local rock photographer was in the first row shooting away. Japandroids drew a large population of local bloggers as well…ahem. Actually the show was a little light on attendance and the inside joke going around was half the people in attendance were bloggers and photogs. It sure seemed like it anyway, and I wonder if we know something others don't?
The crowd finally started to react after some pressure from the band, and on “The Boys Are Leaving Town” an innocent pit opened up. King and drummer David Prowse were a tight team and definitely showed why they have garnered their current reputation as a must see live act. The deafening level at which the band played didn’t seem to bother anyone, but only highlighted Post-Nothing’s strongest cuts like ‘Young Hearts Spark Fire’, ‘Heart Sweats’, as well as their killer cover of Big Black’s ‘Racer X’. Japandroids’ surely released a great record this year but nothing matches some good old fashion balls out live rock and roll, and the Vancouver duo proved that they certainly know how to bring it.
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