Words by Audra Tracy | Photos by David Turcotte
Friday saw a frenzy at 56th Street, prompted by a sold-out gig at Terminal 5 featuring indie rockers Foals. Warner Brothers’ February release of Holy Fire, their latest LP, had gotten New Yorkers all worked up and ready to hear the good word live in concert. And with Blondfire and Surfer Blood playing in support, the lads from Oxford were prepped to put on one hell of a sermon.
Foals took the pulpit around 10PM, and the crowded dance-floor took on a life of its own. We’ve all been to shows where, based on crowd interaction, you can pick the ‘hits’ out of a set. But tonight, fans seemed to go ape shit over pretty much any note that pumped through the amps. And for good reason – the tightly layered, heavy compositions like ‘Inhaler’ and ‘Bad Habit’ are the type to bring out the beast in anyone.
As an outsider, the appeal of Foals lies in not just the lyrics or the melodies, or even the foreboding echoes that lingered on the walls of the venue. It’s the delivery. It’s lead singer Yannis Philippakis recklessly stage diving with a guitar still strapped to his back. It’s knocking over mic stands and baptizing a panting front row in Poland Spring. It’s dark, it’s sexy, and exactly what New York needed to kick off the weekend.
www.foals.co.uk
TheWaster.com | New York City
05.04.13
