Hot Chip and The xx Played Terminal 5 - Pictures, Review

Sometimes it feels like only a ridiculously awesome double bill will get us motivated to head to Terminal 5 – maybe our least favorite venue in New York – but if the British one-two punch of Hot Chip and The xx don't fit that description then we're not sure what does! It makes sense these bands are pals. Members of both hail from The Elliot School in the UK and now they’re crisscrossing paths on tour in the States (Both recently rocked Coachella.)

First the xx took the stage. Probably no other band has been hyped more in 2009/2010 and in this case it's well-deserved. They were mesmerizing. People have constantly thrown out words like "mellow," and "minimalist," to describe the black-and-white clad trio, but we were impressed with how the xx took their addictive debut album up a notch for their live show.

They've been hitting the festival circuit hard and the practice has paid off. Even at their quietest moments they had our full attention. It’s clear this band isn't going to burn out on the flames of their own hype. They're going to be around awhile and we can't wait to see what they do next!

Next came the headliners: the greatest Brit nerd dance rock band on the planet. Their new album "One Life Stand" is by far their most chilled-out so far, but fans expecting to jump, sweat (and even crowd surf!) weren’t disappointed. Some of the new songs sounded even better live, like "We Have Love" and "Take It In," and familiar classics like "And I Was a Boy From School" and "Over and Over" rocked.

Still, maybe we were spoiled by witnessing Hot Chip absolutely tear down the house at the much smaller Highline Ballroom at the MySpace secret show there in February. Blame jetlag or the poor sound at Terminal 5, but two of our favorite songs “No Fit State” and “I Feel Better” sounded a bit murky during the encore.

Even on an off night, Hot Chip are better than 90% of the bands out there - and the young and drunk crowd didn’t seem to notice.

Words and Pictures by Chris Goldberg

Many more photos at the HAD Archive

The New Hot Chip EP Is Very Good

We'll be frank with you: after listening to Made In The Dark a number of times, we never really felt like Hot Chip was "our thing". It's not that they're even remotely bad, or that there's anything wrong with their tunage, it just had a vibe that was a little too synth-cutesy for our tastes. Well, lately, that's starting to change.

First, we heard their Vampire Weekend cover with Peter Gabriel, and now they've released an EP collaborating with Robert Wyatt and Geese. The disc dropped yesterday, and is an "indie record shop exclusive", whatever that means. Regardless, even if it takes a little extra effort, we really recommend that you pick it up.

The untitled EP reworks four of the band's album tracks, and in our opinion does them quite a bit of justice. Gone are the persistent synths and canned beats, replaced by more abstract, atmospheric instrumentation and percussion. Strings, jaw's harp, and Robert Wyatt's deep, resonant vocals all serve to give the tracks a completely new dimension. What's more, Geese's remixing duties turn "One Pure Thought" from a rock song into an exercise in percussive drones.

We'll say it again: we certainly are not in love with Hot Chip's Made In The Dark. But, if this is the direction they're headed, we have to say we're firmly on board. These tracks not only stand up for themselves, but show a band that isn't satisfied to rest on their laurels and milk a single sound. Well played, boys.

mp3: Hot Chip Feat. Robert Wyatt - Made In The Dark

Peter Gabriel And Hot Chip Cover Vampire Weekend

Given that we've been fostering a rapidly expanding obsession with Peter Gabriel's early solo records, we were pretty interested to see that the man has joined up with Hot Chip to cover Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa". The song features a prominent Gabriel name drop, so it seems that his cover fulfills some sort of self-referencing irony quotient.

Gabriel's take on the tune is a significantly more chill than VW's, with a more loping, Africanized beat. The fact that he can't hit the high notes in the chorus is a bit of a let down, but the rest of the vocals sound spot-on. Gabriel definitely lends his signature feel to the record, and it makes us hunger for a bit more pop music from a man whose output has been more on the experimental side for the past few years.

Thanks to Abeano Music for the tip!

mp3: Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (YouSendIt, click through)

Treasure Island: Into Year Two And Still Kicking A$$

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This weekend, the Treasure Island Festival solidified last year's realization: that you can do a festival on a tiny island in the Bay, and do it right. The festival is sure to be held up next to Outside Lands for comparison, but we're not sure that's justified. The two festivals have a truly different focus, and Treasure Island Festival is definitely its own beast.

Hot Chip

The Treasure Island Festival has a strong focus on the indie rock and electronic scene, and with only two stages, those who attended knew exactly what they had come to see. The lineup was decidedly "up and coming", with even the headliners being bands that are largely critically lauded, but just starting to get real national recognition.

Goldfrapp

The organizers also managed to do a fantastic job (as they did last year) of grabbing bands that don't throw the festival firmly in one creative direction. Most of the acts are multi-faceted and genre bending. This allows for the double edged sword of a) creating a festival that's diverse and groundbreaking, and b) attracting fans that are ready and willing to try out new sounds and experiences.

Antibalas

The weather on the island, much like last year, was to die for: blue skies, clear air, and in general a great spot in the middle of the Bay. This is the distinct advantage of not actually being in the city: you escape the always impending fog banks of doom. That being said, the wind was more than a little bit annoying at times.

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There can be no doubt that this festival is carving out its own solid niche for the local music scene. It's less about epic numbers of people seeing huge bands, and far more about seeing great bands live in a fantastic setting. Much like sponsor Noise Pop's epononymous festival every Spring, Treasure Island is an artistic tour de force that is well on its way to becoming an institution.

TV On The Radio

As the festival closed out, we have to say that we were truly glad to have seen it be such a success a second year in a row. The Bay Area is starting to host some fantastic musical events, and the Treasure Island Festival has held its own as one of the most consistently unique, enjoyable, and entertaining experiences the city has to offer.

Many more photos over at the HAD Archive.

All photos (c) Sarah Klinger, 2008.