Blonde Redhead @ Bowery Ballroom

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Wow! What an amazing show! – would be my words if I have to summarize Blonde Redhead’s coming-back-to-NYC performance promoting their new album “Barragan”.

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A little over 20 years after Japanese art students Kazu Makino and Maki Takahashi randomly met Italian twin brothers Simone and Amadeo Pace at an Italian restaurant in NYC and decided to start a band named by an 80s no wave band DNA’s song, the energy between them is everything but lost. You know how much some bands change for a decade – here the change is only for good.

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Their slow transition from art-punk to more eclectic pop sound still produces fascinating records (with the song “The One I Love”, which was sang twice by the way on encore, being my absolute favorite from the new album). After the supporting act People Get Ready, the light got on and dimmed again sometime around 10:30 PM at the totally packed Bowery Ballroom for the over an hour and half long set, which was a healthy blend of most of their albums until now (the full setlist is just below).

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1. Barragán

2. Lady M

3. Falling Man

4. Hated Because of Great Qualities

5. Love or Prison

6. Mind to Be Had

7. No More Honey

8. Doll Is Mine

9. Melody

10 Dripping

11. Spring and by Summer Fall

Encore:

12. Here Sometimes

13. The One I Love

14. Defeatist Anthem (Harry and I)

15. 23

Encore 2:

16. Equus

17. Cat on Tin Roof

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As you can see for yourself, Blonde Redhead’s excellency led to not one but two encores and really proved they’re a timeless great band that still influences the audience as well as other bands. The balance between the alternating vocals of Makino and Simone Pace, as well as her drop dead gorgeous dancing on stage, only rounded out a truly remarkable performance. Next day Blonde Redhead paid homage to the blooming Brooklyn scene with a show at Music Hall Of Williamsburg.

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Photos by Anna Yatskevich