Photographs by Dakota Arsenault.
If I could suggest one thing to TV on the Radio’s already manifold stage ensemble it’d be to kit out lead singer Tunde Adebimpe with a pair of sock puppets. The cool, charismatic frontman’s arms already gesticulate with so much character, that a pair of puppets would elevate his performance unfathomably. Not that they lacked in presence, they took the stage to what could only be described as a touring studio. Stacked full, the eclectic indie rock band found their place not only amongst the usual assortment of strings, keys and drums, but samplers, synths, wind chimes, trombone, sequencer and a solid effects block. In lieu of merely making music, the band instead opted to make dreams come true.
The band’s synergy, even in the wake of former bassist Gerard Smith’s passing, was undeniable. It didn’t hurt that almost everyone in the band was some form of multi-instrumentalist. The harmonies between Tunde and guitarist Kyp Malone sounded so clear they may as well have been recorded multi-tracks. The sound was bold and full, buoyed by riveting drum fills and an expansive bass/brass combo. Bells and chimes tintinnabulated sonorously, whether hanging from David Andrew Sitek’s guitar, or handheld by trombonist Aaron Johnson. If that wasn’t enough, Tunde made no small deal of playing the audience as clap based percussion. There was a riveting contrast to the set, with jazzy, improvisational flairs driven by pounding kick drums and punchy rapid-fire fills. A hard hitting vitality engulfed the performance, bringing a fevered intensity that was irresistible.
From start to finish the hits kept coming. A setlist comprised of material throughout their discography, there was more than enough to keep any fan happy. Stretching as far back as their debut EP Young Liars, the eponymous track found its place amongst fellow classics Staring at the Sun, Blues From Down Here, Dancing Choose and moody closer DLZ. TV on the Radio weren’t coy about showing off new tracks either. From their brand new album Seeds, Happy Idiot, Winter and Trouble garnered a solid reception, but it was the viciously energetic crowd pleaser Wolf Like Me that stole the show. Between the machine gun drums, temporal breakdown and eminently quotable lyrics, the crowd was howling for more. “We’ll be back next year” promised Tunde as he stayed behind to shake hands with fans. Now imagine how much classier that’d be if he wore sock puppets?
