Is it a control issue?

Uber cool band The Strokes blew through the Fillmore Tuesday night and proved that abrupt endings punctuate more than songs. The group cruised off stage after a set that lasted approximately 56 minutes. The theme of “control” threads its way through many of the band’s songs, most obviously in “Under Control,” and “Take it or Leave it.” Was the short set a statement by the band that it was playing this show according to its wishes only, or was it merely the result of the casual arrogance that seemingly envelopes the group?

Opening act The Raveonettes set the evening’s tone on several fronts—the music, fast and furious, measured in the upper ranges of the decibel scale. On the other hand, had a motion detector monitored stage roaming or an engage-o-meter measured audience-performer interactions, readings would have been near zero.

The Raveonettes, often called the Danish “White Stripes” has, at its core, singer and bass guitar player Sharin Foo and singer and guitarist Sune Rose Wagner. The band broke loose songs from its Whip It EP and Chain Gang of Love CD such as “Let’s Rave On,” “That Great Love Sound,” “Little Animal,” “Beat City,” “Come On Everybody” (an Eddie Cochran tune) and “Love Can Destroy,” noting the latter was “for Johnny Cash.” Pixie-ish bass guitarist Foo, quietly alluring, played in stark contrast to the rhythm/lead guitarist on stage right who was frequently doubled over in agitated convulsions. Both flanked lead vocalist Wagner, who strayed little from the microphone. During the 40-minute set, the band proved itself a more-than-capable opener for the headlining Strokes.

The Stokes strolled on stage at about 9:30 after a long set change, igniting an immediate frenzy, at least in the front rows. As has been noted in many reviews, the band looks slick—members were dressed in suits (a throwback to early Beatles?). Lead singer Julian Casablancas proved a compelling (yet shadowy to those not directly in front of him) figure. The singer often appears to meld with the microphone, carefully caressing it. His lazy, slacker vocals were strangely commanding; his childlike, almost introspective hand waves in stark contrast to his studied detachment.

For those who need to know, the set list was comprised of even helpings of songs from Is This It, and Room on Fire, including “Automatic Stop,” “Modern Age,” “12:51,”Meet Me in the Bathroom,” “Soma,” “The End Has No End,” “Someday,” “Hard to Explain,” “Trying Your Luck,” and closer “Take It or Leave It.” Super single “Last Night,” current single “Reptilia,” and the mellow “Under Control” were also in the mix. “New York City Cops,” a song removed from the band’s American release of “Is This It?” as a result of the 9/11 attack, was also part of the show.

Casablancas occasionally addressed the audience with mostly indecipherable mumblings, at one point thanking everyone for “being a lovely audience.” For the most part, though, when not wrapped around the microphone, he’d slip towards the back of the stage, turning away from the audience. Throughout the show, strobe lights throbbed from the ceiling overhead, from the floor, and from behind the drum set piercing the darkness, and enveloping the shadowy figures on stage in an air of unreality.

The Strokes are a wonderful rock’n’ roll band. Their music IS different from others’ even if it can be argued that it’s the vocals that primarily drive this. The Strokes are also one of the few bands that present an air of reserved stand-offishness—and get away with it. Bands will behave as they want, present whatever face they chose, and there’s no arguing for or against a particular public persona. However, followers deserve more bang-for-the-buck in terms of stage time.

If it’s not a control issue, I have one question—does the carriage turn into a pumpkin at 10:30?

Mountain West Music 2004