Brightest Young Things

all words: William Alberque
all photos: Nick Balleza

Cults returned to DC for the fourth time in a year –  and their first true DC headlining performance – answering critics (me) by playing an astonishingly assured and complete double set with style and aplomb to spare.

I last reviewed Cults on their co-headlining tour (with Guards, the Donny to the Cults’ Osmonds) in June. I thought Cults (and Guards) was excellent, but their set was all too brief, starkly illustrating, to me, that the band simply lacked the sheer number of songs in their repertoire that would make it a satisfying headliner.  Since then, Cults debut dropped, and Guards have continued to release more music (including the excellent “Do It Again”).  All my questions as to the band’s depth were swept aside on Saturday in a stellar double show – the Cat split the evening into an early and late show.  Cults did a stellar job in both, more than justifying what I anticipate will be a triumphant return to DC as a 930 Club headliner.

Madeline Follin is gorgeous and an assured performer.  I’m sure Richie’s not bad looking, but I can hardly take my eyes off her.  The setup is stunning –  a huge projection of her singing (can’t quite tell if it’s  pre-filmed, or if it’s live) on the stage-wide screen behind them, occasionally bursting into color and light.  Gone are the odd, Abercrombie and Fitch-type imagery of the previous tour, and, from where I sat, I couldn’t see if they’d decorated with taxidermy again.

The show starts with a beautiful track of shoegaze guitar, with the band taking the stage and bursting right a stunning rendition of “Abducted.”  It is so against type and reputation for the band – starting with quiet drums, a sample, and vocals lost down in the mix for 40 seconds before the song bursts into Technicolor life; a driving, propulsive, irresistible number that has the crowd by the throat before they’ve even settled from the opener.

“The Curse” follows, with its girl-group reinterpretation of Your Funeral-era Nick Cave-vibe, followed by what I think is “Never Saw the Point,” and “Most Wanted,” which pass by in a pleasant breeze.  Madeline announces the next song is their slow jam, and promptly breaks into the torch-song perfection of “You Know What I Mean.” Follin sings her heart out on this, while the screen mirrors her emotional state – a crazy quilt of kaleidoscopic color and light.  I have to guess again, lacking a set list, but I think it’s “Never Heal Myself,” followed by a storming rendition of “Rave On,” all Mazzy Star pyrotechnics and Neko Case emotion.

The shock treat of the night was a marvelously atmospheric and beautiful cover of Leonard Cohen’s  “Everybody Knows.”  I first heard that song in the movie Exotica, and practically fell off my seat when guitarist Brian Oblivion announced that we should be patient because it’s only the second time they’ve played the song live.  An amazing moment, which I got to experience twice on the night.

I have no idea what the next song was – I was still utterly thrilled by the double-whammy of “Rave On” and “Everybody Knows.”  By the time I catch my breath, the familiar and effortlessly gorgeous “Go Outside”  has the audience in raptures, and the quick follow-up of “Oh My God”  leaves me smiling ear to ear.  I would trade a second set for an extended first set and proper encores (there are three or four songs just in the Cults’ quiver, not to mention Guards), but, hey, it makes the venue and the band money to split the sold out shows, doesn’t it?  Ah, that’s just a quibble – I’ve had a brilliant time, once again, aided by the fantastic bartender attentions and kindness of Al Budd and the tickets and everything.  I’m incredibly grateful.  Oh, and I still think Cults should work on their crowd banter – it’s the only remaining element of their set they could possible improve.

Dirty Fences opened, and, well, it was not my style.  They were loud and just a bit annoying.

Previously in Live DC:

• 5/22: LiveDC: Drive-By Truckers and Lucinda Williams @ Merriweather
• 5/22: Photos: Summer Camp takes the "Ladies of Town" Drag Show
• 5/22: LiveDC: Penguin Prison & Class Actress @ RNR Hotel
• 5/21: LiveDC: James Morrison @ 930 Club
• 5/21: Photos: Que Sera L'Anniversaire @ Napoleon
• 5/21: LiveDC: La Sera/ Beach Week @ Red Palace
• 5/21: LiveDC: The Black Keys & Arctic Monkeys @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
• 5/17: Gay Best Weekend Bets: Avengers Edition
• 5/17: LiveDC: Here We Go Magic @ Black Cat
• 5/17: LiveDC: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros/ Fool's Gold @ 930 Club