By Bobby Hankinson
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs had a “Date With the Night” in Providence, R.I., Monday, Feb. 24 in which they skipped the dinner and went right to the dancing when they performed at Lupo’s at the Strand.
The band, comprised of Karen O. on vocals, Brian Chase on drums and Nick Zinner on guitar, got its start in New York City and soon began to gain attention in the art-rock scene playing at underground bars and clubs.
After the release of their self-titled five-track EP, commonly known as the “Bang!” EP, the band received some day-time radio air play despite the title track’s explicit chorus, “As an [expletive] son, you suck.”
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs followed up with a second EP, “Machine” before releasing their long awaited first full-length album, “Fever to Tell” in April 2003.
The album received widespread attention, earning the band a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album. “Fever To Tell” also topped the New York Times’ list of the Best Albums of 2003. Recently, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ video for the track “Maps” is receiving heavy air play on MTV.
Despite the acclaim following the release of “Fever to Tell,” the band has always been known for its electrifying stage show and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs lived up to their reputation Monday at Lupo’s.
The Chinese Stars began the show by casually strolling on stage before erupting in a burst of pure energy. Singer, Eric Paul, began flailing around the stage, banging a tambourine on his knees, hand, and eventually, face while wailing into the microphone. Paul also utitlized rock ‘n’ roll’s secret weapon, the cowbell, to drive the audience into a frenzy. Guitarist Paul Vieira showcased his skills at one point by balancing his guitar on his face, while playing a very impressive solo.
The super-cool drummer, Craig Kureck, paced each song with simple beats, all the while sporting his aviator sunglasses and hardly breaking a sweat. Few bands, especially lesser known acts, have the ability to work up a crowd like the Chinese Stars, and they made it look easy.
After an unecessarily long set up, the Secret Machines, took the stage. Setting up their own spotlights and cutting all other stage lights, the band created an interesting silhouette effect. However, the lighting effect shined brighter than the band’s music. The songs were long and often very repetitive. Also, the band failed to make clean breaks between each song, making already drawn out songs seem even longer. The crowd, anticipating the high-energy of the headliners, became restless after The Chinese Stars’ warm-up and a lengthy set-up.
Finally, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the stage. Zinner and Chase appeared first while the crowd cheered. Once Karen O. took the stage, the crowd erupted. Beaming with smiles through her cherry-red lipstick, Karen O. pranced across the stage, at times skipping with her bottle of champagne.
They began their set with two new songs, that were well-received by the crowd, who bobbed and swayed to the beat. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought back some old favorites, “Art Star” and “Miles Away,” from the “Bang!” EP driving the crowd into a frenzy. Karen O. continued to command the stage with almost a dual personality. At points, she’d be skipping and smiling, while at others, she would roll around on the monitors and spit water into the crowd.
The crowd, of course, didn’t mind – worshipping Karen O. from the pit. At one point, an audience member leaned onto stage and kissed Karen O.’s foot. She was a menance to Lupo’s technical crew as she knocked over water bottles while whipping around the microphone wire. The crew spent most of their set chasing after the front woman to clean up. Karen O performed some of the stage tricks she’s known for, including screaching into the mic held completely in her mouth while she stands with her hands outstretched.
The band obliged new listeners with several songs off of “Fever to Tell,” including “Rich,” “Date With the Night,” “Black Tongue,” and the current single, “Maps,” which drew the biggest reaction from the crowd. As the band played “Maps,” their token love song, a couple began slow dancing in the crowd. As the band said their goodnights and left the stage, the audience cheered for more.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs reappeared once more for their encore. To the surprise of the crowd, the band chose to begin the encore with the bonus track from “Fever to Tell” – a rare occurrence in the music world.
Bringing the show to a dramatic close, Karen O. ascended the staircase on stage to the door to the VIP balacony as she repeated “there is no, there is no,” the conclusion to the track “Modern Romance.”
Combining innovativemusicality (Zinner plays guitar through two amps in lieu of a bass player) and an exhilarating stage show, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have conquered the underground and now, Providence as well.
