Kata Rokkar Kata Rokkar – A Bay Area based blog about music, life and stuff by Shawn Robbins.

Show Review: Does It Offend You, Yeah? & Kele (of Bloc Party) at Mezzanine

Concerts, General, Music, Show Review

09/22/2010

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Saturday night, two electronic influenced UK bands, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and Kele, played to a ravenous crowd at Mezzanine. Though the show was not sold out (as the venue’s promotional e-mails so confidently predicted), it was a very full room and I can’t say if it was Saturday Night Fever or a special on Red Bull & vodkas, but the energy levels throughout the evening were strikingly high.

Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Only moments after walking onstage, Does It Offend You, Yeah? guitar player, Matty Derham informed the crowd that their lead singer, James Rushent, was very ill and could not perform with the band, but they would play regardless. The following confusion and disappointment lasted about ten seconds until they started blasting their electroclash dance pop through Mezzanine’s bass thumping sound system. Then it was clear the band and the crowd were going to enjoy the show regardless.

Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Does It Offend You, Yeah?

With a sound somewhere between Death From Above 1979 and LCD Soundsystem, DIOYY has garnered much praise for their 2008 debut LP, You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into. Since then they have been touring, primarily the UK where they have built up a substantial following, and preparing the release of their second album which is due out soon. Despite being a man down, DIOYY still turned out an intense performance complete with stage diving, and the crowd only reciprocated the energy.

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[mp3] Does It Offend You, Yeah? – We Are Rockstars from You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into (2008)


Kele

Kele

Kele

Kele

Kele Okereke, the singer of Bloc Party, has been focusing on his solo effort simply titled, Kele, since Bloc Party’s hiatus beginning last October. He recently released his debut solo album, The Boxer, earlier this summer. Rumors have swirled about the potential of Kele not returning to Bloc Party with the other members when they begin work on their fourth album to solely pursue a solo career.

Kele

Kele

While his intentions with the band that catapulted him to stardom remain to be seen, he is currently touring in support of his own album, which has many elements in common with Bloc Party’s albums, but sprinkled with a heavy dose of electro; it’s almost as if it were a remix album of Bloc Party songs. But this is not unique. The same might be said for Julian Casablancas‘ debut solo release earlier this year.

Kele

Kele

Playing nearly all of the songs from The Boxer as well as some recognizable Bloc Party tunes, Kele‘s signature sound and personality provided all the ingredients for a dance party on the verge of a mosh pit, which of course warranted an encore, completing this epic Saturday night UK invasion of San Francisco.

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[mp3] Kele – Unholy Thoughts from The Boxer (2010)

  • Andrew Henze

    DIOYY make me wish I was still in the UK.