One-off gig. Album preview show. Intimate venue. Hyped opening act. Celebrities abound. Two-second online sell-out. Yeah, this was one hot ticket.
And it was a veritable mob scene outside, as hordes of overzealous fans clamored to gain entry into Chelsea’s hip, club-like venue Highline Ballroom, only to be stifled by a pair of giant, clipboard-wielding sentinels (the show was wait-list only).
Inside however, an entirely different picture emerged. Designer suit-wearing industry types huddled over vodka tonics, while the rest of the subdued late-20s crowd of Ebayers and Craigslisters stood around like Cigar Store Indians in apparent anticipation of opener Santogold.
Brooklyn-based Santogold (a.k.a. Santi White) stormed onto the stage amidst a flurry of applause. In Stefani-like fashion Santogold, draped in gold chains and wearing a huge target on her chest - literally and figuratively - was flanked by a backup dancer on either side in matching black & white outfit and white-rimmed shades. The dancers looked like hipster Black Panthers, and twerked it like crazy to Santo’s eclectic beats.
Santogold may look like Spank Rock’s wild sis, but she actually studied Cuban, Haitian and West African drumming at Wesleyan, before moving to Brooklyn and becoming a producer/solo artist. Ms. White has drawn comparisons to M.I.A., and it’s not hard to see why: they share a similar fashion sense, the same producer (Diplo), and her wildly diverse track “Creator” sounds a lot like M.I.A.’s “Bird Flu,” with its electro beats and strident chirping.
From the dub-influenced “Shove It” to “L.E.S. Artistes,” which sees the rapper putting pretentious downtown NYCers on lyrical blast over a Strokes-y guitar line, it’s safe to say Santogold lived up to the considerable hype and then some.
(It does bear mentioning however that her voice and blasé delivery sounds EXACTLY like that of Musical Youth - you know, they sang that ‘80s hit “Pass the Dutchie.”)
At the conclusion of her brief, half-hour set, the crowd was screaming for more.
And more they got, albeit from main act Gnarls Barkley who, backed by a full band in matching Buddy Holly outfits, transformed the club into a circa 1950s high school prom.
Gnarls front man Cee-Lo, sporting an enormous pompadour wig, stated: “This is like an overpaid dress rehearsal.” Indeed, it was the first show the duo - consisting of the rotund crooner and mega-producer Danger Mouse - had played since the release of their sophomore album The Odd Couple and thus, was the first time playing many of these songs before a live audience.
Performing a mix of songs off The Odd Couple, as well as their smash debut St. Elsewhere, the guys were totally on point (especially for a so-called “dress rehearsal”). Cee-Lo’s gospel crooning sounded spectacular, and Danger Mouse seemed to be doing a damn good job at whatever he was doing - whether it be the piano, xylophone, or switches - and looked super cool doing it.
The psychedelic soul grooves of new ditties “Charity Case” and “Surprise” saw the crowd’s collective hips in full sway. Then the band went into overdrive, racing through “Gone Daddy Gone” and “Run” - the debut single off The Odd Couple.
“Run” is without question their best live song, and saw Cee-Lo augmenting the already riotous action with a series of ultra-affected poses - slicking back his faux mane, snapping, trailing his finger across the crowd like Zuko during “Greased Lightnin’,” and the pièce de résistance: an exaggerated, straight-legged shuffle around the microphone stand that would make Elvis proud.
After this onslaught, Gnarls played a few more tracks off their sophomore album, which overall possesses a very somber vibe. The finest of the bunch is “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul,” as Cee-Lo tantalized the crowd with his considerable vocal range, backed by a gently weeping guitar line.
Cee-Lo later remarked, “This is my favorite part of the show, because I get to sing the song that made me rich and famous,” before launching into the infectious “Crazy.”
The band then took a bow, only to return moments later - with a stripped-down Cee-Lo in black tank top and shades - to play a pair of catchy numbers: “Blind Mary” and the aptly-titled “Smiley Faces,” which saw both performer and crowd grinning from ear-to-ear.
Great expectations often lead to great disappointment but hell, I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun on a Tuesday night.
--Marlow Stern [April 24, 2008]
