I can’t tell you why I like Sleigh Bells so much. They have a female singer, heavy “wub wub” influences and play with a drum track instead of a real drummer. It’s everything I hate but I love it so much.
I never miss a chance to see Sleigh Bells live. I am always blown away by the energy that radiates off the stage with only three members on it. If you were just listening to a live recording you would swear there was an army on that stage but there’s not. There’s not even a drummer (the drums are tracked). I think it intrigues me. How can there be so much energy when they don’t even have a full band on the stage.
Sleigh Bells is technically a duo of Alexis and Derek but they have other members that tour with them. Derek, the guitarist, is the reason I got into Sleigh Bells. He is actually the old guitarist of the hardcore band Poison the Well. Poison the Well was a huge influence in my life back in my angsty teenage years and I followed everything the members did which led to my love of Sleigh Bells.
When you look around the crowd you can tell that Derek brings people from the metal scene to the show where as Alexis brings people from the indie-pop world. Maybe that’s why I like going to see these guys so much. You can come as you are. If you’re a metal head, you’ll fit in. If you’re an indie-pop princess, you’ll fit in. If you’re a raver, you’ll fit in. If you’re anything else, you can stand back and watch the amazing effect live music has on all different kinds of people.
Alexis’ voice is beautiful. At times it almost sounds like a whisper and can be extremely quiet but then, within seconds, she explodes with a hair whip and that voice turns into one of the most powerful female voices I’ve heard in awhile. Don’t even get me started on her blood curdling scream that was featured in two of her songs. I don’t understand how anyone can scream like that but it was perfect for the show last night.
My buddy Andrew (who I dragged to this show as I often do) described the music perfectly when he said that it was “metal music for ravers.” The heavy, distorted guitar riffs definitely give the music a metal feeling. The electronic drum sounds along with the constant strobe lights definitely make it look and sound like you’re at a rave. When you mix all of that together you get Sleigh Bells and something that is truly unlike anything else out there right now.
The show was opened up by local group Tiny Deaths. These guys area always nice to see live. Their music is soothing but not to the point where you want to fall asleep. Although it is much calmer than what I typically like, they have so many layers in the music that it’s hard to not fall in love with it. Much like Sleigh Bells, it’s intriguing to me.
I don’t know if I was a rave, punk show, or indie-pop show last night.
Who cares?
I had a great time.
Line Up:
Venue: Fine Line
Sausage Fest Meter- 4 out of 10
Average Age of the Crowd- 24
Crowd Surfers- 1- Alexis of Sleigh Bells
Stage Divers-1- Alexis of Sleigh Bells
Danceability- High
Broken Bones- None
Drunkards Taken Out By Security- None
Celebrity Sightings-None
Overall Score- 7.5 out of 10
Show on Deck- Comeback Kid
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