The curtain rose Friday night for the first of two sold-out shows at the Henry Fonda Music Box with TV on the Radio drumming on logs, drummers strumming and the sweetest rendition of “Tonight” sounding brilliantly across the hall. The scene epitomized the essence of the band remarkably. That is to say that TV on the Radio is one of the most soulful, unconventional bands to come along in a while. This was already apparent when I first encountered them in the fall of 2005 at the Troubadour prior to the release of their current album Return to Cookie Mountain. The 14-song set Friday provided further proof to the mastery this band holds on a number of levels. The pacing of the set rode out like a wave with “Wolf Like Me,” “Dirtywhirl” and “Blues From Down Here” being the crest to the equally intense trough of set closers “Wash The Day” and “Satellite.”
For the encore, the band returned with several of their friends (playing on a variety of percussion instruments) for “A Method” and “Let the Devil In” before closing it out with the favorite “Staring at the Sun.” Tunde’s vocals shined throughout.
London-based trio The Noisettes opened the show with a riveting performance while much of the crowd was still arriving to the venue in typical L.A. fashion. By set’s end, with the house reaching capacity, it was clear to most that The Noisettes were on to something. I first caught wind of the band in much the same fashion when they were touring with Tom Vek in the fall of 2005. Then, it was me arriving a little later than I wanted to and finding myself unable to turn away from what I was hearing. The show Friday held the same intensity with singer/bassist Shingi Shoniwa’s rollicking bass lines, Dan Smith’s driving guitars and drummer Jamie Morrison holding it all together in their old world infused style of rock ‘n’ roll. Set highlights included opener “Scratch Your Name,” “Don’t Give Up,” “Nothing to Dread” and the romp of a set closer “Sister Rosetta (Capture The Spirit).”
The Noisettes are on tour through April 21st with TV on the Radio . Also look for select headlining dates as well as a stop at this years’ Coachella Festival.
The Noisettes' debut full length What’s the Time Mr. Wolf? is out April 17th on Motown/ Vertigo.
