My goal this week was to get a bit out of my comfort zone when it came to shows and I absolutely accomplished that on Saturday night. Sure, some of the faces in the crowd were familiar and the surroundings were like a home away from home for me but the music that I heard at The Turf Club on Saturday was so far from what I typically listen to and go see that I felt like I was in a whole other world.
There wasn’t a guitar, bass, or drumset on the stage as opening act Dead Times readied to get the night started. Instead of traditional instruments, there was a table stacked with a computer and electronic equipment that I won’t even begin to try and explain to you. This is not something new to me. I’ve seen plenty of acts that rely more on electronics than standard instrumentation but what this duo did with those elements on stage was completely foreign to me.
Dead Times’ set was short but was all over the place. There were moments of beautiful ambiance followed by moments of chaos and intensity all capped off with times where the sound just felt like TV static. That’s right, I was at a noise show and being completely unprepared for this made it super intriguing. Beyond those aforementioned vibes, Dead Times had vocals that leaned into the black metal vein of things but their sound also had this undertone of church bells. It was odd. Nothing about their compositions made sense to me but that’s what made it exciting. I never knew what was going to come next. There were times where ambiance was interrupted by extreme TV static that made me jump because, well, I just wasn’t ready for it. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat and the tips of my toes throughout their set. If this was any sign of what was to come with the rest of my Saturday night, I was ready for it.
Following Dead Times was Troller. This group had a bit more of a traditional set up in comparison to the opener but I only say that because they had a bass and guitar on stage but this was still far from a “standard” band. Troller’s sound fits into the darkwave world but it’s so much more than that. Vocalist Amber Star-Goers had me completely stuck in the palm of this band’s hand. It was eerie and dark but came with an undeniable sense of brutality and beauty at the same time.
Although I seem to be lost for words when it comes to Troller’s set, I truly did enjoy it. I think I’m so lost for what to say because I was so completely lost in their music. There was something about their tone and overall style that was almost hypnotic and although I remember standing there watching them, I don’t remember any details regarding their set. This is a catch-22 for me as a writer because I want to be able to express how amazing it felt as they played through their set but I have no words for it. Long story short, even though my words are few when it comes to Troller, they killed it on Saturday night and I can’t wait for another chance to check out this super intriguing and unique group.
To say that headlining act The Body is an experimental band is not enough. The Body takes the word experimental and raises the bar ever so slightly. With elements of metal wrapped into their bizarre and chaotic sound, I felt like their set on Saturday was familiarly unfamiliar. There were moments that made sense to me and others that had my head completely spinning and just trying to find the meaning behind certain rhythms and lines of notes.
I’ve talked about being hit by a wall of sound before but The Body truly takes that to a new level. I had been warned by a buddy that was working the door so I was ready with my ear plugs in but I question how much that actually helped. Although just a duo, the sounds and power that both Lee Buford and Chip King brought to the modestly sized Turf Club was impressive to say the least. At the beginning, I was a bit confused as I watched the band power through the first couple songs of their set. I could see vocalist Chip King talking into the microphone but couldn’t hear any vocals. That’s when it hit me. The banshee-sounding element I was hearing through the speakers was actually Chip’s vocals.
The Body only played for forty-minutes. This was both more than enough and not even close to enough for me. My ears were ringing and my head was spinning when they suddenly ended their set and left the stage so I had definitely gotten my fill from this extreme band but, at the same time, I was left still trying to figure it all out. As I woke up this morning, I felt like I was still trying to process what I had just seen and experienced and now, as I write this, I realize that I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand but that’s part of the magic, right?
The noise world is a new one to me. I find it to be complicated music to listen to and frustrating to figure out. That being said, I was completely captivated by all three bands on Saturday night and, although it left me confused, it left me wanting so much more. I don’t think noise music will ever be “my thing” but I am definitely going to keep my eyes open for more opportunities to explore this scene.
Line Up:
Venue: The Turf Club
Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable
Average Age of the Crowd: 38
Crowd Surfers- 0
Stage Divers- 0
Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10
Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0
Broken Bones- None Noticed
Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing
Fights- None Witnessed
Pukers- 0
Passed Out Kids- 0
Idiots Taken Out By Security – 1
How Irritated I Was With The Audience – 0 out of 10
How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-
Dead Times – 0
Troller – 0
The Body – 0
Celebrity Sightings – None
Overall Score – 7.5 out of 10
Show on Deck — Gwar / Crobot / 200 Stab Wounds
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