Last night I got my socks rocked off by Deap Vally at Park West. They were there in support of Band Of Skulls, but it was obvious from the start that they could have easily been the headliners. A larger group than normal crowded the floor area at the venue for the 8pm set, bouncing up and down and banging their heads along with the heavy guitar riffs played by Lindsey Troy. A guy next to me said, “Where did these girls come from? I don’t even remember what band I’m here to see!” And it really was that kind of explosive performance that transcends labels like warmup act and main attraction-when the music is this good it really doesn’t matter.

The set only lasted about half an hour, and it was evident that the crowd would have gladly listened all night. I had spent a little time reacquainting myself with Sistrionix before going to the show, and it did not prepare me in the least for what I would see. Songs like “Walk Of Shame” were more visceral and raw, with fuzz dripping off Troy’s guitar and Julie Edwards pounding the drum set with such force I thought it might just break in half. On “End Of The World” Troy’s voice sparkled through, sounding like a mix between an angry Karen O and Janis Jopling preaching “Hate is a parasite. Yes hate will eat us alive if we let it. No we won’t let it.”

By the time Deap Vally left the stage I was sweating and exhausted, like they had fed off the energy of everyone in the audience and we were left there swaying in the wind. It was a better experience than I expected, as I’ve seen duo’s on bigger stages who couldn’t keep the momentum up at a good level. They’ve been playing festivals and big shows for a while now, though, so I think they’ve figured it out. They only have a few shows left in the States before heading over to Europe for a long sting. Check their site and see if they’re playing in your city!

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