In a way, Vivian Girls are indie rock’s it-girls. The sassy trio (one brunette, one blonde, one redhead) has come a long way in the past 2 years, from just another Brooklyn novelty act to a highly regarded “band to watch” —thanks to an armful of well-crafted garage pop songs and an impeccable live show.
What’s more, they’ve generated tons of buzz—as any it-band should—first horrifying fans with this video, then going out of their way to prove their mettle, with killer performances at SXSW, Coachella, Pitchfork Fest, and more. And they haven’t stopped since. With a new album on the way (Everything Goes Wrong, out September 8), the girls have launched another massive tour of America, Japan and Australia, which stopped by the Barbary Wednesday night.
According to singer/guitarist Cassie Ramone, Everything is a much darker record than their self-titled debut—even so, the group’s live performance radiated warmth, as the band strummed and crooned their way through 14 rousing numbers.
Despite the fuzz (deliberate, for sure), the band appeared polished—almost cartoon-ish—as Ramone stood on her tip-toes and growled into the mic and Kickball Katy (the graceful, bass-playing beauty) swayed back and forth, long hair in her face. Drummer Ali Koehler—clad in a citrus-colored dress and sunflower pin—never once missed a beat, and the whole thing was a bit like watching the end of Charlie Brown Christmas, where all the characters are doing their own funny little dance and everyone is happy. Except for, you know, much more punk rock.
The band played more than a half-dozen new tracks, as well as a few old faves like “Wild Eyes”, “Never See Me Again”, “Surfin Away”, and “Second Date”. While the crowd bopped along merrily, there were definitely moments—particularly when detailing past heartbreak—when Ramone’s eyes glazed over and you could hear the desperation in her voice—as if she was pushing through the pain along with the audience.
The band ended with “When I’m Gone”, a new jam that starts raucous and dissolves into cacophony. Ramone curled up on the floor, fingers slamming against her guitar, and everything slowed down…until she hopped back up again, a smile across her face, and launched into a rollicking rendition of “Tell The World.” And there were bubbles, magically appearing from the Barbary ceiling. And while the whole thing lasted only 40 minutes, it was truly inspiring.
Local rockers Bandname took the stage first, after noisy New York up-and-comers the Beets dropped at last minute. A new force on the scene, Bandname proved they’re nothing to sneeze at, with a collection of catchy, rough-edged, chord-driven pop songs that occasionally morphed into loud, percussive interludes.
Drummer GregOGBiv held things together, with sharp, robotic beats, undeniable stage presence, and a litany of hilarious comments about “ginger ale” (for the underage kiddies) and partying hardy. Singer/guitarist Jeremy Jams was like a musical lion, roaring into the mic, jumping into the audience, and screaming in people’s faces—while bassist Cat Nap (yes, I realize these are ridiculous names) looked a little lost.
“Smile”, the band’s closing track, sounded oddly discordant, and I couldn’t tell if this was intentional, or if the band was having trouble staying together. Either way, these guys certainly have potential, and if they can just get their act together, big things could be in store.
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PhrequencyTV: Vivian Girls- "Tell The World," Live November 2008
