Stereolab, the indie-rock band led by Briton Tim Gane and Frenchwoman Laetita Sadier, have been around off and on since 1990. Just 35 years into their career, they made it to Buffalo for the very first time. And for all in the sold out crowd at Babeville’s Asbury Hall on Tuesday night, even those that only recently turned on to the music, it was worth the wait.
Earlier this year, Stereolab released their first album of new material in 15 years, Instant Holograms On Metal Film. It was in support of that excellent release that had the band finally finding their way to the Queen City.
Sadier first addressed the crowd, exclaiming “We meet tonight in this very glorious space.” It is always a treat to see a concert at Asbury Hall. The way the lights reflect throughout the high ceilings, the beautiful stain glass windows and woodwork, and surprisingly great acoustics make for a stunning place for live music.
For Stereolab though, the visuals took a backseat to the music. The lighting was basic, almost static, and the staging simple. There wasn’t much to watch other than the five musicians locking in to craft wonderful sounds together.
It isn’t unusual for a band to pack a show with songs off their new album. It is a bit unusual for a band in their 35th year, touring for the first time in 6 years, to do so. So much history to cover for so many fans yearning for old favorites. But it wasn’t to be, the new songs took center stage for most of the night.
That isn’t to say they didn’t throw any meat to their old friends. A mid-set one-two punch of “Peng! 33” and “The Flower Called Nowhere” had many in the crowd singing along and pumping their fists. Later the disco-tinged funky “Miss Modular” had the old church jumping.
The new songs fit in with the older material seamlessly, but were remarkably fresher and more vibrant. An incredible feat for a band so later in their career. “Melody is a Wound” was a highlight. All five members, guitars, bass, drums, and keys interwove their respective sounds in an ever-shifting but paradoxically repetitive way. They broke through the pattern into a high-energy cacophony that ratcheted up in energy. Eventually the script flipped and each member was playing in completely unpatterned chaos. It was an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride of a performance.
The dark rocking instrumental “Electrified Teenybop” shifted between keys and guitar melodic leads as it slowly built layer upon layer behind a hard driving beat. “Esemplantic Creeping Eruption” had the band falling off the deep end in more noisy chaos, anchored again by strong rocking drum beats.
Sadier was a compelling front for the band. She was constantly pulling tools out of her kit to enhance the sound, switching between instruments multiple times, even in a single song. Guitar, keys, electronics, tambourine, trombone and of course her enchanting vocals in both English and French, she was a joy to watch and listen to. And she even occasionally tossed in some slinky dance moves and pantomime.
Canadian singer Dorothea Paas fronted her own band, with Mara Nesrallah on vocals and keys and Eliza Niemi on bass and cello. They straddled the space between folk and jazz, with gorgeous two-part harmonies and unusually-structured songs that were languid and at times even eerie. A fitting sound to fill the expansive old church venue. The cello at times acted like a third vocalist, harmonizing with the singing.
Stereolab Setlist (via Setlist.fm): Aerial Troubles, Mystical Plosives, Motoroller Scalatron, Vermona F Transistor, Peng! 33, The Flower Called Nowhere, Melodie is the Wound, If You Remember I Forgot How to Dream Part 1 > If You Remember I Forgot How to Dream Part 2, Miss Modular, Household Names, Electrified Teenybop!, Esemplastic Creeping Eruption, Cybele’s Reverie
Encore: Percolator, Immortal Hands
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