O Yeah
The NYC-based indie band Yeah Yeah Yeahs played APW's Blue Comet Stage on Friday at 7:30. They were the first band to play without the threat of and/or down pouring rain, so the air was electric with positive energy. The crowd did their usual excited reactions when drummer Brian Chase and guitarist Nick Zinner came out onto the stage, but the real enthusiasm was reserved for lead singer Karen O. And with good reason.
Rarely have I seen such a captivating and magnetic force on stage; Karen O exudes such a mix of sexual energy and coy naivete that it becomes impossible to take your eyes off of her. All around me members of the audience were falling in love with her as the moments passed, and those who had been unsure at the start were swiftly won over to the weird side.
I call it the weird side because the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were probably the first band at the festival to really eclipse that indie-folky-light-heartedness of the day and barrel headlong into the raw and sexy energy of the night. Pale, dark haired, and outfitted in black, the musicians began to pump out their edgy dancey beats with surprising force.
Karen O performed an entire song before removing this bizarre garment that covered her whole face, creating this sort of anticipation and delayed gratification from the audience that culminated when she finally tore it from her head. Later she exited the stage to grab her studded leather jacket and you could see the longing on the fans' faces as they awaited her return. We were all collectively 'involved' with Karen O, and all individually entranced as she deep-throated the microphone, smiled, twirled, and told us she loved us.
Playing their big hits like 'Maps' and 'Gold Lion', it wasn't long before everyone was clapping and dancing, the first time that day that I had seen such a collective movement. At one point giant inflated eyeball beach balls were tossed into the audience, which matched the stage backdrop and started an ever-popular game of hit and pass throughout the crowd.
One of the highlights of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's set was their slow rendition of 'Maps', which was done with little to no musical accompaniment. The audience was able to hear themselves singing along, which always feels nice in a collective spirit sort of way. In between verses you could hear the silence, which is generally a good sign since that means that everyone is too busy listening to talk.
Like all passionate relationships it was over too soon. On the way out I overheard at least twelve different people declare that they were now officially in love with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and specifically with Karen O. Some were exhausted but content. Still others were awake and ready for more. But like all unrequited affairs, everyone wanted to know when they could do it all over again.
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