Brightest Young Things

words by Rick Taylor
photos by Francis Chung

...

It’s about time local bands got some prime-time weekend love. Thankfully, the Black Cat agrees and recently launched its “Second Saturdays” concert series: every second Saturday of the month, the venue’s backstage puts the dj dance nights on ice to host DC-area and DC-affiliated live music. This is particularly noteworthy considering that local bands have typically had few options to showcase their live talents on weekends outside of the Velvet Lounge and the odd house show.

And when I say prime-time I really mean prime-time. The young lads and lass of True Womanhood graced the stage shortly after 9pm! (Happily, a crowd was already starting to emerge.) The show marked the first live performance in over two months for the much buzzed about “avant-pop” four-piece, and it was clearly evident that the band had been spending a lot of time in its rehearsal room.

Set opener (and one of two new songs on offer) “Dignity Colony” kicked things off on a surprisingly funky note, with some slinky electronic bass throbs played on a sampler by sometimes guitarist/sometimes percussionist Ross Kerr. The slow-building track took full advantage of the band’s various strengths, crescendoing with a blanket of larger-than-life guitar chords, frenzied and imaginative tom patterns, brooding bass and an engaging vocal line from lead singer/guitarist Thomas Redmond. My, this band is continuing to develop nicely, I thought to myself…

The more familiar numbers, such as live staples “Cosmic Ray” and “A Diviner,” showcased a tighter, more finely honed line of attack than previous live renditions. Instead of an out-of-control, foaming-at-the-mouth Tasmanian devil, True Womanhood’s rhythm section on these tracks more closely resembled a seething boa constrictor––tightly coiled and ferocious, striking judiciously with deadly and impeccable accuracy.

The highlight of their set, at least for me, was the other new song, “Magic Child,” a sprawling number that displayed a newfound maturity in the songwriting department and highlighted the band’s more aggressive tendencies. Redmond has often stated that the band’s “secret influence” (meaning the one that few have picked up on) is Wire. The striking angular riffing, propulsive drumming and high tension on display in this song recalled that legendary post-punk band’s bag of tricks, but came across as anything but a facsimile. Much has been made of the band’s proclivities for exotic instrumentation, but very little outside the traditional guitar/bass/drum/vocal set-up was used here. The band clearly (and justifiably) has a lot of confidence in its songwriting capabilities.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the three “ribbon dancers” that pranced around (and on) the stage during True Womanhood’s set. It was unclear if these three just showed up randomly to add some levity to the proceedings, but the band embraced the playful vibe they brought to the show. At one point, Redmond, looking very Donnie Darko in his blue hoodie, told the punters up front that they “should take a hint from these three.”

By the time Mary Timony’s new group, Pow Wow, took the stage, the backstage area had a good-sized crowd on its hands. And that made perfect sense. Having recorded albums for Matador (first in her 90s band Helium, then later as Mary Timony) and the Kill Rock Stars labels, Timony has been around awhile and has an impressive back catalog of songs to warrant an appreciative fanbase.

Word on the street is that Pow Wow has been together for only about a month and this is only their second show. I never would have guessed that. Pow Wow performed with the skill and precision of a veteran band, with all four members (which included guitarist Jonah Takagi, keyboardist Winston Yu and drummer Darren Zentek) displaying some impressive chops.

Lead vocalist and bassist (and sometimes guitarist) Timony offered up some tantalizing vocal lines atop the band’s blustery guitar riffs, and every now and then, the audience was treated to some wonderful vocal harmonies between her and Takagi. Meanwhile, Yu had two different keyboards on stage to tinker with, ensuring he could buffer the band’s already full sound with some choice piano tinkling or Hammond-style organ drones, depending on the song.

Pow Wow’s set turned out to be quite dynamic, offering a nice range of spiky rockers and more moody, introspective numbers. Takagi even took over lead vocals on a few occasions and the results were as impressive as his custom-built baritone guitar, the latter serving as a rich and very much key ingredient to the band’s thick sound.

Few, if any, of the audience knew these songs but that didn’t stop the crowd from eating it up. Timony’s new group was greeted enthusiastically and I knew I wasn’t the only one looking forward to seeing them again in the future. Both groups served as a nice showcase for the wellspring of diverse musical talent residing in our nation’s capital.

The verdict: The Black Cat has a good thing on its hands with this series. Let’s hope they continue to provide local independent music fans with some interesting glimpses into what our city has to offer.

Previously in Live DC:

• 2/13: LiveDC: George Clinton & The Parliament-Funkadelic @ 930 Club
• 2/13: LiveDC: Veronica Falls/ Brilliant Colors @ Black Cat
• 2/13: LIVE DC: Steve Aoki/ Datsik/ Alvin Risk @ Fillmore
• 2/13: LiveDC: The Darkness @ 930 Club
• 2/9: LiveDC: Theophilus London @ 930 Club
• 2/9: Best Weekend Bets
• 2/8: LiveDC: Kathleen Edwards @ 930 Club
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/7: LiveDC: Demetri Martin @ Warner Theatre