Boredoms | Starlight Ballroom 4.2.08
An explosive, chaotic, hypnotic, and relentless rhythm rave is what Japanoise band Boredoms brought to Starlight Ballroom last night in Philadelphia. Their nearly ninety-minute set ranged from minimal beats and ambient washes to a full on aural assault of thundering tribal percussion and crushing primal noise.
Frontman Yamatsuka Eye opened the set on a pitch black stage swinging around a pair of trippy MIDI controlled light orbs that produced growling electronic feedback every time they were shaken. The noise produced by the glowing orbs steadily matured into a consistent thump, gaining intensity that culminated when the lighting was switched on and the triple drum attack of Muneomi Senju, Yojiro, Yoshimi P-We was unleashed. Eye threw the orbs to the floor and tore into the “Sevena,” a seven necked guitar that he played percussively with an array of baton like drumsticks. A dizzying stampede of flowing rhythms and sonic layers blasted from the stage setting the tone for the rest of the show.
Perhaps most impressively, the trio of drummers performed non-stop, like clockwork at times rising off their seats to pound on their snares, toms, and cymbals. Equally amazing is that they had unbelievable endurance, finishing the set and encore stronger than when they began. Eye was like a torrent on the stage and had a seemingly relentless amount of energy. He rotated between wailing on the Sevena with various sized “drumsticks,” producing melodic drones and creating blankets of noise on a joystick controlled synth. Between his duties on the synth and Sevena, he would let out indecipherable shrieks and exclamations like “Ha. Ha. Bia! Bia! Boog boog boog. Bia! Eeeeeet!” If I weren’t witnessing it first hand I would have assumed there was a pterodactyl on stage when Eye hit his “Eeeeet!” notes. Much to the dismay of the roadie/soundguy who tuned the seven-neck guitar throughout the set, Eye managed to break many of the strings on the upper necks during the final song.
Toward the end of the set, my ears were absolutely pummeled and I made my way toward the back of the crowd where I learned that Eye had a broken foot and was wearing an air cast the entire show. I went into the show being a more casual Boredoms listener, not super familiar with the band’s catalog, but I can see myself delving deeper into their records following last night’s torrent of a live show.
Live, Boredoms sound is nothing short of IMMENSE. I left the former roller skating rink, turned club, halfway through the encore, ears ringing as the band, never tiring, sent blasts of noise pouring into the gritty desolate streets around me.
Boredoms finish up their U.S. tour tonight at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.
NOTE: The picture accompanying this post is from Trent Wolbe, the band had asked not to be photographed during their show last night.
[MP3]: Boredoms ”B For Boredoms”
Chocolate Synthesizer, WEA/Reprise/Very Friendly; 1994
