boredoms live in NYC
photo via Jason Bergman’s Flickr
Terminal 5, Bowery Presents’ new factory-like behemoth in Hell’s Kitchen, ended up being an oddly perfect venue for a Sunday night noise freakout.
I’m not sure if it was a one-off logistical switcheroo, but Japan’s Boredoms played on a makeshift circle stage in the middle of the normally-general-admission section of the megaclub. Two additional (packed) floors of people gathered around on balconies to witness the spectacle, which felt eerily like Bloodsport from above.
I’m not super familiar with the Boredoms catalog (slight understatement actually – it’s more like I’ve heard Super Ae and that’s about it), but had heard such glowing things about their live show that I figured a trip to near-12th-Ave would be well worth it. I was not disappointed.
eYe, who might traditionally be called a “frontman,” was an absolute torrent. Even with a weighty castboot on, he was writhing and howling, stalking the stage with a mic and a mallet to POUND the insane vertical 7-guitar rig until the end when half the strings had been ripped off. This wasn’t Merzbow-ian sheets of white noise, though – eYe conducted three drummers and an on-stage engineer through a dizzying parade of cascading rhythms and sonic layers, the result of which was almost unbelievably tight and unified performance.
After a brief (ha!) 12 minute, one song encore, I left feeling both completely pummeled and strangely calm. NYC 17 Dotters can try to catch ‘em at Other Music tonight, although honestly I cannot fathom how that will work, spatially.
eMusic has some Boredoms, too, if you want some of their one-of-a-kind sonic assault on your hard drive/portable thingy/etc.
Longtime boredoms fan here :]
I wonder if there is a good DVD compilation of a few of their shows?
This strikes me as one of those things that is definitely better live.
I saw the Bordems at the Corner hotel in Melbourne, sometime in the late 90s. I was incredible. I drove my rusting Toyota Corolla over from Adelaide (9 hour drive) not really knowing much of their music but my mate Samantha had seen them play in Japan and said we had to see them.
I was insane, veered from trance like grooves to metal freak outs and pure white noise. There was a group of kids down the front wanting to mosh but they couldn’t quite understand it all and stood there bewildered. I grinned and dancing.
I am not so much into their recorded catalogue but given the chance to see them live I would not miss the chance!
PS: Another thing that made the night so great was the support bands – Regurgitator and High Pass Filter. Both bands are really strong and great fun live but this was the first time I saw or heard High Pass Filter. They played a hybrid urban dub music but with such energy and imagination. Definitely recommend their music.
“Not understanding” their music? It’s more like intuition and response, not analysis. I knew from the first moment I heard that pseudo-boot CD early in the ’90s, then Pop Tatari (it was given to me!) that I loved Boredoms. Weird, but great, that so many are excited by them, especially considering that last time I saw them maybe 100-200 people were there, but that’s all the club would hold. They NEED to do a more extensive US tour again to satisfy our hunger.