Concert Review: Japandroids Are ROCK N’ ROLL At Brooklyn Steel
Japandroids Brooklyn Steel concert was loud, dominating, and writhe with enough emotions to fill a warehouse of people….. in essence…. it was rock n’ roll. A stage full of amps and a setlist that ranged from synth-futurism to alternative-emo rock, Japandroids left their hearts on the stage like one should when they are a performer. If all you have is one night with a group of people you have never met and might not ever again, then make it the best damn night of your life.
Not every artist plays their shows with a finality; as if tonight was their final show instead of the fifth or sixth one on their tour in some other town. Yet, Japandroids did exactly that or, at least, lead singer Brian King did. He was completely enveloped by the music he played; bashing his head into air as if it were a wall he had to conquer through songs such as, “Fire’s Highway”, “Wet Hair”, and “Continuous Thunder”. By the tracks I named, you can already hear an elemental feel to their sound. As if they are the two guys you see in the middle of a storm saying, “F U Nature!”. You may laugh, but what is rock n’ roll but a giant middle finger to every time life changed our plans, dampened our wildness, and told us a broken heart can still be “functional”. Thus, their ying/ yang vibe of Brian casually singing through the ashes and smoke every burned plan, while David Prowse piercingly playing the drums like it was a platoon call was perfect. Prowse is the “cooler” head as King played his guitar like his heart was out of his chest because it needed to pump towards the audience. He was pure sweat and sentiment, and if you read my review of Near To The Wild Heart Of Life, you will understand why such elemental energy is perfect to course through this album.
Japandroids are not without images flaring in their sound. “I’m Sorry (For Not Finding You Sooner)”, “Arc of Bar”, and “True Love and a Free Life of Free Will” come off like a Gethsemane of sound where temptation, resilience, and ultimately love for something better are poured through the lyrics and vocals of Mr. King. Their messages met beautifully with their “one night only” dynamic. As I have said, there is a very futuristic vibe to their music that when mixed in with adrenaline and finite/present mentality makes the band build an apocalyptic/ euphoric atmosphere; as if it is the end of the world, and we feel fine about it. For More Information On Japandroids Click Here.
