Chairlift and The Phenomenal Handclap Band are two artists who have had a very interesting 2009. Underground hits in their home state of New York, the bands quickly reached international airwaves with singles “Bruises” (as featured in an Apple ad campaign) and “15 to 20”, respectively. And now, riding the successes of each, they’re jet setting around the world – performing together in co-headline shows around the country.
The E.L.F. opened up for the pair with a DJ set, in which we saw the Gerling frontman sitting on a Mac by the sound deck, with a piece of paper telling everyone he was indeed E.L.F., ripping through a standard selection of crowd pleasing tunes. From The Beatles to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (and everything in between), Darren put plenty of the crowd in the mood to get their dance on.
The Phenomenal Handclap Band (TPHB) followed, as the Manning crowd slowly moved onto the dance floor from the balcony. The setlist was essentially identical to what I saw at Field Day – however it was much better suited to the indoor club environment, and as such was better received. Once again, however, I found myself underwhelmed by “15 to 20”, instead finding a highlight in set closer “I Been Born Again”. This track is energetic, engaging and as catchy as you get. It showcases just what this band is capable of, and leaves the performance on a remarkably high note. And from this, one has to ask the question: why doesn’t this energy exist over the rest of the set? Or was there something I missed?
I found myself asking the same question during three-piece Chairlift. Admittedly (and regrettably) unfamiliar with the band beyond the aforementioned single, I found myself discovering a band quite different from what “Bruises” made them out to be. This wasn’t a bad thing, mind you – their set, which included a cover of “Time of the Season”, felt born of 80’s The Breakfast Club ambiance, especially when the bass was cranked out over a cheesy keyboard melody or two. And who would complain about this? We all love the films of John Hughes – so much so that much of the crowd found themselves hypnotised throughout the hour-and-a-bit set.
“Bruises” naturally closed the show, and much like TPHB, their last track was where they unleashed a sense of maniac energy that was hidden for the rest of the set. In a moment of chaos, as they reached the end of the track, Caroline Polachek took over on the drums and jammed with Patrick Wimberly on bass, as Aaron Pfenning poured water over them – before joining in, jumping around, and giving the crowd a true performance.
But that was it for the set… as with TPHB, the party was over before it had even begun. Indeed, due to their ambient nature, the tunes which preceded “Bruises” didn’t require the same amount of energy. But with the closing number showcasing just how much fun the band could
be, I felt it a pity we didn’t get to see more of this side of the New
York three piece. Nonetheless, I certainly enjoyed the ride while it lasted, and the trip down memory lane wasn’t too bad either.
