BrightestYoungThings: LIVE DC: Art Brut @ Black Cat

All words: Gareth Moore

All photos: Mark Silva from last time

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By the end of their set, Art Brut had left us so high we could have kissed the sky. As they abandoned the stage the faces in the crowd were wide-eyed and slack-jawed; we were so happy all we could do was scream in ecstasy. It’s shameful that more bands can’t, or won’t, put on shows like this. Tonight was yet another example as to why Art Brut is such a wonderfully strange case in rock & roll.

First, just a few lines about opening act Reptar. They were aiming for a dose of the tropical, using an extra drum set and sunny riffs to create an ocean side feel. Occasionally, their rhythms would mix with the steady beats and create a mildly enjoyable sound. This feeling was shattered every time the singer opened his mouth. His voice and his physical performance were highly annoying. Perhaps a smoother voice would complement the music better, along with better songs.

Thankfully, Art Brut has everything Reptar lacked and so much more. Their opening attack was so enthralling they could have left after four songs and I would have been content.

Before they graced the stage we were given a blast of Van Halen from the speakers. I saw many smiling faces singing along to Panama. Art Brut strolled onto the stage and began with the opening cut from their new album, Brilliant! Tragic!, entitled Clever Clever Jazz Man. Although that was a fun and exciting opener, it was merely the eye of the storm. What came next was absolute anarchy in the form of My Little Brother. During its conclusion the crowd was hurling their fists into the air and screaming, as if their life depended on it, “MY LITTLE BROTHER JUST DISCOVERED ROCK & ROLL!!!”

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As good as these songs are on the album, they are given an extra dose of vitality on stage; all of them become “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” Unlike the Strokes, who on stage resemble mannequins and fail to bring anything new to their music, Art Brut burst with personality and vigour. They bounce all over the stage, singer Eddie Argos moves through the crowd, they engage with the audience and each other, always smiling and always energetic. Then there is the matter of their playing. I have no idea how they bring so much extra muscle to their live shows, but they can turn their solid rock songs into maniacal monsters.

During My Little Brother, Eddie Argos gave the audience some sage advice (and i’m paraphrasing here): “If you truly want to scare your parents, follow my three step plan. 1 – Form a band. That will instantly alarm them. 2 – Do quite well at it. 3 – Plateau. Don’t do so well that you’re making millions, but don’t do so bad that you have to get a real job.” Like Robyn Hitchcock and Billy Bragg before him, Eddie is a gifted storyteller and entertaining improviser. Part of the fun with an Art Brut gig is seeing Eddie riff with the crowd. During Modern Art he was walking through the crowd, spinning a tale of his journey in an art gallery, which somehow led to him and the whole audience sitting on the floor only to erupt into madness with everyone pogo-ing across the room.

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They didn’t play my two favourite songs from their new album (Is Dog Eared and Ice Hockey) but I wasn’t expecting them to. Unlike most of their songs, these two are longer and slower. They would have dragged the pace down. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if they managed to re-work them in a bold way within the live setting. Perhaps on another tour we will see it happen. We still had the maddening delights of Alcoholics Unanimous, DC Comics & Chocolate Milkshakes, Lost Weekend, 18,000 Lira, Direct Hit, Emily Kane, and Axl Rose.

Speaking of Axl, as they returned for an encore they began by playing Paradise City by Guns & Roses. It was clear what they were going to do next. They seem to have a habit of playing what they consider to be a classic song before merging into their debut single, which could justifiably be called a classic at this point, Formed a Band. Only the dead would fail to be consumed with elation and energy as they play this on stage. Guitarists Jasper Future and Ian Catskilkin assaulted their guitars and their microphones as they screamed “LOOK AT US!!! WE FORMED A BAND!!!”

The sweetest sensation may have come at the end. They did a stunningly strong and more expansive version of Post Soothing Out, now featuring monster riffs, extended drum solo, and call-and-response shouting between the band and the audience. Eddie added some extra spice by paying homage to Bowie as he begged the audience “GIVE ME YOUR HANDS!!! ‘CAUSE YOU’RE WONDERFUL!!!” But Eddie’s last words for the night were “I love the Black Cat.” He, and the whole band, kept making this point before, during, and after the show. Any band can claim they love a venue, or a city, while they are playing there, but few bands have the warm sincerity of Art Brut. The immense joy they had on stage was greeted and replied in kind by the audience. Everyone loved being together at the Black Cat that night, and that just made the gig so much sweeter.