On Friday, September 23, I caught TV on the Radio as they played the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Opening for them was Arctic Monkeys out of the U.K.-- who had me shaking my derriere to joints of theirs like "Fluorescent Adolescent" http://youtu.be/ma9I9VBKPiw and "Brianstorm" http://youtu.be/30w8DyEJ__0 -- and Smith Westerns (who, I am sorry to say, I was too fashionably late to catch that night).
The Boulevard Pool, which overlooks the Las Vegas strip from four stories up, turned out to be a superb venue. With plenty of room to dance (thanks to the pool partly being drained), sufficient bar service (I never had to wait more than five minutes for a nice, stiff drink), and various pleasing vantage points, it was a sumptuous treat for my senses!
The band arrived on the property earlier in the day and was seen at a few spots around The Cosmo, including the casino floor, as well as enjoying the property's poolside amenities. Though band members Jaleel Bunton and Kyp Malone happily sat and conversed with fellow hotel patrons at the poolside bar at about high noon on Friday, the band flaked on the pre-show meet & greet, then hightailed it out of there directly after their set.
TV on the Radio has come to be one of my favorite and most beloved bands. I even secured my ticket all the way back in June. Though they put on a great show, rich with soul, energy, and their unique indie-experimental-punk sound, something (admittedly) seemed to be amiss. Through conversation with friends of mine who also attended the show, we could only assume that this is mostly due to the fact that TVOTR lost their eclectic and talented bassist-- Gerard Smith-- on April 20, 2011 to lung cancer, eight days after their latest album was released. (They have since continued to tour with replacement bassists, but have not solidly filled the void that Smith left, as of yet.)
TVOTR started their set with "Second Song," from their latest release Nine Types of Light; and of course performed the album's key song and love ballad "Will Do"-- a must-see video ( http://youtu.be/dXLpXu9T7j0 ). The nighttime Las Vegas heat didn't keep front man Tunde Adebimpe from wailing and flailing his arms and body in his usual onstage style. As the sweat escaped his pores, the band's eclecticism and musical prowess enveloped the audience, even all the way through the three-song encore. The set list consisted mostly of tunes from Nine Types of Light, including an energetic rendition of "Repetition" and a funky presentation of "Caffeinated Consciousness." But the band certainly did not fail to also bring us past-time hits like "Staring at the Sun" and "Wolf Like Me"-- the hit that seemed to elicit the strongest response and energy from the audience, and had the fans bouncing in unison ( http://youtu.be/j1-xRk6llh4 ).
(Check out my review of Nine Types of Light --> http://purrview.blogspot.com/2011/05/purrview-10-tv-on-radio-nine-types-of.html )TV on the Radio pushes onward with their 2011 Nine Types of Light tour, hitting up two more west coast performances in Hollywood and Oakland, before making their way to the east coast, where the Brooklyn band's roots lie. Tonight, September 25, they play the Hollywood Bowl with (once again) Arctic Monkeys and Smith Westerns; but also part of the line up are Warpaint and Panda Bear. Though they lack the presence of their dearly departed bassist, TVOTR continues to grace us with their relentless disbursement of good music and good vibes...
Lots of love, TV on the Radio!
~Meow~
Pennies
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