The Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Berlin: Karen O does the present

Not that you just don’t know that it may be fairly unglamorous to open up for somebody that the pilgrim viewers typically doesn’t care about. However when the New York band Yeah Yeah Yeahs performs within the Columbiahalle, the hierarchical distinction is especially putting.

Not solely that the gig of the bumpy post-punk band within the warm-up perform is fairly quick and the sound sounds reasonably muddy. The merchandise stand specifically exhibits that some have already achieved loads, whereas others haven’t.

The primary band sells the standard vary of CDs and t-shirts, plus actual fan gadgets like pink, arm-length gloves like those Karen O, the singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, likes to put on, and even a hand fan.

Jealous, alternatively, has nothing however a pair of self-painted underpants that, from a purely visible perspective, don’t even appear to be you’d need to put on them or anybody would need to put on them.

Right here the band with the underpants, there the massive Yeah Yeah Yeah, which in a direct comparability appear an entire lot larger than they already are. They clearly don’t really want to level out their very own significance on this means.

Even when it’s a bit shocking {that a} band that was actually common within the noughties after which, after a nine-year break, reported again reasonably quietly final 12 months with a little-noticed album, simply offered out the Columbiahalle with its capability of 3500 spectators might.

You ask your self: Are the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who performed in a league with bands like Franz Ferdinand, the Strokes and the White Stripes, nonetheless thought of cool – and within the noughties have been they simply rattling cool?

Or are they already a part of the so-called Y2K revival that was proclaimed this 12 months and that’s serving to to rediscover kinds, trend and music from the early noughties?

The viewers is of their mid-30s

Wanting across the viewers, one involves the conclusion that the reality appears to lie someplace in between. The typical age of the viewers is of their mid-30s. On the live performance, many will in all probability bear in mind their youth, which can be seen from the truth that the hits from again then are enthusiastically sung alongside.

If, alternatively, a chunk from the present album is performed, the mass ecstasy is clearly restricted. Nonetheless, whether or not the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are nonetheless objectively common, even among the many youthful era, can’t be lastly clarified at this live performance. Not less than they’re with their nostalgia-hungry viewers within the Columbiahalle.

The focus and clear focus of the efficiency is singer Karen O. Subsequent to and behind her on drums, guitar, bass and keyboards, three chimpanzees with Tyrolean hats might sit or stand, in all probability no one would discover. The three musicians keep in the dead of night on stage, do their job solidly and generate that typical yeah-yeah-yeah sound someplace between post-punk, snappy indie disco with a number of synth pads and occasional outbursts of dissonance.

Model icon for indie children

Up entrance, nevertheless, Karen O, who has at all times been thought of a mode icon for indie children, does the present. First she wears a voluminous purple gown, then a golden glitter fumble. She dances, turns in circles and retains jerking the microphone up with each fingers, as if she desires to carry out a ritual. As if she have been holding out a cross to the folks.

She at all times pretends to easily ignore the truth that her vocals are blended shockingly badly. So unhealthy which you can hardly perceive what they’re saying to the viewers. “I dedicate the subsequent track…” she says again and again and it’s important to take into consideration the remainder. Besides at one level the place you suppose you hear the subsequent track can be addressed to you as a part of the viewers.

As is the case with a live performance of this magnitude, the group within the Columbiahalle exercised restraint firstly, however then slowly warmed up as increasingly more classics like “Heated Hearts” or “Black Tongue” have been intoned. At one level, two enormous balloons painted like eyeballs are thrown into the viewers, giving folks nice pleasure.

Then the confetti cannon is fired up sporadically at first, solely to actually explode throughout “Heads will roll”. Due to all of the colourful paper snippets within the air, you’ll be able to’t see something on stage for a number of seconds. Then the efficiency involves the end line and the encores are performed.