Show Review: Dan Deacon at Sonar

Special guest reviewer and contest winner Matt Weinschenk was there to take in all the action Saturday night. Here's his take on the multi-faceted event:

On Saturday, Sonar hosted Taxlo’s Summer Blowout with a fully loaded line-up including Dan Deacon, Black Dice, Thieves Like Us, Martyn, Scottie B, Get ‘Em Mamis, Booman, DAT Politics and more.

Michigan-based Awesome Color opened. With driving drums that never took a breath (in a good way), they sounded like The Stooges with some experimental effects thrown on top. The only downside was that they only had time for four songs.

Next was DAT Politics and were, for me, the pleasant surprise of the night. Their synth and vocodor-rich Euro-dance energy got the crowd moving with a set long enough for front woman Claude Pailliot to induce a healthy case of woman-rocking-on-stage-syndrome in most men in the crowd. A great deal of fun all around.

After that, it was Black Dice. They were too loud. I know that sounds ridiculous, but someone cranked it up about 5 notches after DAT Politics left and went for a drink. At any point, half the crowd was holding their ears. A healthy stream of people headed out and I actually saw 2 friends arguing over the one set of earplugs they had. It’s a shame, because it was too loud to listen to the subtleties of Black Dice’s electric experimental noise punk. So before you rag on me for being too old, ask someone who was there.

Finally, Dan Deacon took the stage, or at least the floor in front of the stage as usual. His recent Bromst tour featured a full 14-piece live band. Now he’s solo and played a few Bromst tracks on his traditional equipment, meaning we won’t be deprived of Bromst in future shows. Deacon had a few problems with crowd control, including "Crystal Cat" cut short by a crowd member jostling his electronics.

Hopefully his rising popularity won’t force him to switch to a traditional performance too soon. Dan Deacon certainly didn’t disappoint, with a high-energy set and a group interpretative dance to top it off.

My only regret is missing the Get ‘Em Mamis. My friend may have accidentally bought them a round of Patron shots. (It was definitely G.E.M., but who paid for the shots is still unclear.) Either way, they were having enough fun in the crowd that their show makes the “can’t miss” list for next time.

Don't forget to check out Chrissy's fantastic photo set of the event right here.

Ticket Giveaway: Dan Deacon at Sonar

I have 2 pairs of tickets to give away for Dan Deacon's show at Sonar on Saturday June 13. This is Taxlo's big summer blowout, so expect a bit of dancing, sweating, and fun.

Dan Deacon has been unleashing the brilliance that is his ensemble tour for Bromst all over the country, and is bringing it over to Europe in a few weeks. I wonder if they'll be rocking a vegatable oil fueled jet across the Atlantic.

Bromst's seemingly endless symphony of pure joy has been one of the best releases of the year, and most are aware Dan Deacon's live show is on a whole other level. Not yet aware? Head on over to NPR to stream his show last Sunday in DC in its entirety.

Black Dice and a whole slew of other acts will be weighing in on the evening's festivities as well. If you're interested in a pair of tickets, email some love to bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com. I'll pick 2 lucky winners the week before the madness. Don't dilly dally on this one too long, as it should be one of the more lively parties of the summer.

Edit: One pair will be given away to whoever wants to review the show. Let me know why you should do it in the email. I'm still giving the other pair away at random!