The Dandy Warhols @ The Bell House - June 6, 2012
Photos/Review: James M. Graham
I cannot say enough great things about the Bell House. It is truly Brooklyn’s BEST venue. The only negative thing I can say is I haven’t been there enough. I was there on Wednesday night for the second sold out Dandy Warhols show, the first being at Irving Plaza the night before. I did not attend the Irving show, but The Bell House show seemed very intimate – because of the venue, easily 1/4 the size of Irving, and because of the band’s rapport with the audience and the set-list.
This was my 4th DW show. Back in 1997, I reviewed a T/K Records showcase for CMJ at, oddly enough, Irving Plaza. The Dandy’s preceded The Wipers, who I was there to see, but they charmed me and the next day I bought CDs (perhaps you’ll see that 15 year old review here at some point). I’ve been a fan ever since. I sort of put The Dandy’s in the same category as Queens of the Stone Age – they don’t take themselves too seriously, but they kick ass.
I then saw them on the “Monkey House” tour and the last time I saw them was the “Odditorium” tour at Terminal 5. That venue – the WORST in NYC – sucked all the acoustics out of the band and my friend Marko and I couldn’t hear a fucking thing. It was awful. I don’t know if the band was (I doubt it) but…anyway…
The band hit the stage promptly at 10pm and proceeded to play a set list that, although “13” heavy (which was fine and bad-ass), touched on every album. It was sort of a greatest hits show for a band that only had one hit. And the fans loved it. Some surprises from the first album – “Ride,” "TV Theme Song,” and "Pete International Air/Spaceport.”
Courtney Taylor-Taylor commanded the crowd with his male model good looks and charisma and his vocal ferocity. Zia, all tattooed hot as a rocket, did the multi-instrumentalist thing she does best, smiling all the time and playing her ass off. Brent smiled, worked his white fro and beat out every beat perfectly. And the unsung hero of the band Peter Holmström subtly played amazing guitar form stage left hidden by a sweet fedora. I watched him (and Zia) most of the time.
After a ferocious 2 hours, Taylor played “Ghost” by Kristen Hersh, which seemed a little gratuitous, a Jonathan Richman song which I didn’t (nor does Google) recognize and then closed the show, excusing the band, with a solo acoustic sing-a-long version of “Every Day Should Be A Holiday.”
This was my 4th DW show. Back in 1997, I reviewed a T/K Records showcase for CMJ at, oddly enough, Irving Plaza. The Dandy’s preceded The Wipers, who I was there to see, but they charmed me and the next day I bought CDs (perhaps you’ll see that 15 year old review here at some point). I’ve been a fan ever since. I sort of put The Dandy’s in the same category as Queens of the Stone Age – they don’t take themselves too seriously, but they kick ass.
I then saw them on the “Monkey House” tour and the last time I saw them was the “Odditorium” tour at Terminal 5. That venue – the WORST in NYC – sucked all the acoustics out of the band and my friend Marko and I couldn’t hear a fucking thing. It was awful. I don’t know if the band was (I doubt it) but…anyway…
The band hit the stage promptly at 10pm and proceeded to play a set list that, although “13” heavy (which was fine and bad-ass), touched on every album. It was sort of a greatest hits show for a band that only had one hit. And the fans loved it. Some surprises from the first album – “Ride,” "TV Theme Song,” and "Pete International Air/Spaceport.”
Courtney Taylor-Taylor commanded the crowd with his male model good looks and charisma and his vocal ferocity. Zia, all tattooed hot as a rocket, did the multi-instrumentalist thing she does best, smiling all the time and playing her ass off. Brent smiled, worked his white fro and beat out every beat perfectly. And the unsung hero of the band Peter Holmström subtly played amazing guitar form stage left hidden by a sweet fedora. I watched him (and Zia) most of the time.
After a ferocious 2 hours, Taylor played “Ghost” by Kristen Hersh, which seemed a little gratuitous, a Jonathan Richman song which I didn’t (nor does Google) recognize and then closed the show, excusing the band, with a solo acoustic sing-a-long version of “Every Day Should Be A Holiday.”
It sucked to go to work the next day. THAT was the last high.
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Check out a gallery of photos James shot below, and be sure to also check out the remainder of The Dandy Warhols' tour dates as well...
The Dandy Warhols 2012 Tour Dates
6/13 - Belly Up - Aspen, CO
6/15 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
6/16 - Doug Fir - Portland, OR
6/17 - Showbox Market - Seattle, WA
7/07 - Øystese Bygdalarm Festival, NO
7/12 - Athens Lycabettus Amphitheatre, GR
8/11 - Aranda de Duero Sonorama Festival ES
8/18 - St. Pölten Frequency Festival AT
8/24 - Charleville Mézières Cabaret Vert FR
8/25 - Oudenaarde Feest in Het Park BE
8/26 - Domaine National de Saint-Cloud Rock en Seine FR
Was there in Philly at the Troc, awesome show
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