TV on the Radio Live at the Commodore Ballroom

TVOTR Offer Tracks From New Album Dear Science in Vancouver, Sept 7

Sep 9, 2008

"Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-woah" It's the first song and the elbows are out in force. Tunde Adebimpe is flailing around like a giant tree, limbs thrashing.

“Young....Liars,” he belts into the black, “Thank you for taking my hands.” A thousand new ones reach up at him from the audience.

Kyp Malone, all red socks, afro, beard and guitar, hops up and down. Dave Sitek plays sequencers, guitars and wind chimes. At the same time. Gerard Smith studiously upholds the bassline. Jaleel Bunton, per usual, expertly bashes his drumskins into oblivion.

Oh yes, TV on the Radio is back. And its members have brought with them a kit bag of loops, jazz, du-wop, electro-distortion and pounding, alt rock. They come not a moment too soon, either. It’s been a dry summer.

It’s also been a year and a half since TVOTR’s last, jubiliant headlining gig at the Commodore. Winning a legion of fans and critics with their much-respected Return to Cookie Mountain album, it was the drivin’, fightin’, bitin’ “Wolf Like Me” single, the sexy sludge of “I Was a Lover” and the soaring “Province” that blew the walls off of the venue then.

Tonight, it’s no different. Cookie’s crumbs are gobbled up by Vancouver’s indie rock throng. The gothic “Blues from Down Here” and the psychedelic, early Peter Gabriel-y (ie, when he was good) “Wash the Day” are also delivered with serious intent. The a capella “A Method” makes for a cymbal-crashing good sing-song in the encore.

There’s fare for the fans of TVOTR’s hot fuzz, too. “Dreams” off of Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes – the band’s stonking and gritty debut album – is eerie and dark. “Satellite” from the Young Liars EP is a speedy drum and bass shuffle.

Dear Science and the Golden Age

But it’s the new stuff that intrigues. TVOTR’s latest, Dear Science, hits the shelves on September 22nd in the UK and the next day in North America. Playing unreleased new stuff for a thirsty crowd can be risky. However, Adebimpe’s machine-gun barrage through “Dancing Choose” (a song about the media, consumerism and, erm, a sweater-wearing weimaraner) wins them.

He’s a bit off-beat but it’s excused – he’s rapping a new song at the speed of light while simultaneously bounding about the stage. And Bunton is once again drumming to out-run him. “Golden Age” is on-time. Kyp Malone takes over the vocals and the whole thing becomes a sexy Prince-meets-Michael Jackson-“Thriller” –bass line party. “Stork & Owl” and “Shout Me Out” don’t exactly stand out but they don’t fall down, either. There appears to be nothing here to alienate new-kid TVOTR fans, and just enough left-fieldism for the early adopters. The album should be good.

As the band play “Staring at the Sun” (also from Blood Thirsty...), Adebimpe sings “Oh my own voice cannot save me now”, and he’s probably right. He’s looking a little bit tired, and by this final encore, TVOTR are flagging. But still. Who can blame them after blasting through a full-set at full-throttle for a full tour? Not many, certainly. The front row reaches out to say good bye and Adebimpe thanks them by taking their hands.

TV on the Radio at the Vancouver Commodore Ballroom was presented by Sealed With a Kiss. The band tour their new album, Dear Science (Interscope/Geffen) across the Europe and the US in September and October 2008. For more info, visit tvontheradio.com

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