The Bloc is hot
Looking around a sold out Mayan theater for Bloc Party on July 28 (AKA “Earthquake day”), it was impossible to ignore the proliferation of fresh-faced “clean teens” that packed the place. MTV couldn’t have picked a more camera-ready representation of young American prosperity. Recession? What recession?
Openers Does It Offend You, Yeah? got the crowd moving with their raucous UK “lager-hop,” following in the Kaxons tradition of combining traditional band aesthetics with underground dance buzz. Where 10 years ago DIOYY would have been anonymous bedroom producers churning out white label 12-inch singles, in 2008 they’re a full-blown live act that tours the world. Let’s hear it for progress. When they bashed out the catchy rave-synth hook of their signature song “We Are Rock Stars,” the crowd responded accordingly, with the main floor turning into a big dance party. They have a couple other sweet tracks that get feet moving, but unless DIOYY can come up with a few more scorchers on par with “Rock Stars,” they could very well end up being the EMF of this year.
Bloc Party took the stage to a hero’s welcome, opening with the one-two punch of “Hunting For Witches” and “Like Eating Glass.” Leaving whatever nastiness that happened in Spain with Johnny Lydon behind, Okereke (clad in a Shepard Fairey “Obama” shirt) led the band with authority, proving to be a much-improved bandleader than the oft-muted performances of the past. The crowd sang along lustily to favorites like “Helicopter” and “This Modern Love,” a song that was preceded by a friend of the band coming onstage to propose to his girlfriend (she accepted). Interim bassist Tommy Sparks filled in for Gordan Moakes (back in the UK tending to a preggers wife) admirably.
The experimental electro groove of new song “Mercury” had fans completely freaked though. With Okereke basically rapping over thundering drums and orchestral samples, the song sounds like something from Public Image Ltd’s 1986 release Album (no wonder he was asking Lydon about a reunion). Although the tune received a fine ovation, how far down this path Bloc Party’s fans will allow them to travel is yet to be seen.
Tossing in a few verses from Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” into the encore, Okereke and his band are doing it well. They’ve survived the difficult second album, only to charge headlong into more experimentation for their third.
But through it all, their fans (like the sweat-soaked teen in the lobby screaming “fuck the Glass House!” after the show) have developed into a diehard and devoted lot. God bless Bloc Party indeed…
—Scott T. Sterling