Fun, Interactive Gigs

Posted by jill on December 8, 2007

Last night’s Dan Deacon gig was one of the most party-like gigs I’ve ever been to. Along with a line up that encouraged audience interaction, the church hall like feel of the venue (there was even a Santa’s Grotto at the side of the room) added to the kid’s birthday party feel of the night (except we were drinking alcohol).

The first two acts of the night set up the mood of the night. Both Cutting Pink with Knives and Gay Against You were slightly crazy, and ran rings around the audience. Gay against You also had costume changes and hilariously obvious songs about unicorns and hoodies. Making the best use of the space in the room, John Maus performed from the Grotto, singing reverb-rich songs that sounded like 80s synth pop-gone-weird. Fun for the first 10 minutes, but after that I wished the reverb had been switched off for a bit. In a complete contrast to the acts before, No Age reverted to the basic drums and guitar.

By this point it was midnight, and the length of the gig was beginning to get to me. Luckily it was time for Dan Deacon. His show was just as much fun as I expected. Performing in the middle of the floor, with the audience all around him, Dan Deacon played amazingly catchy, short songs. Just right for my attention span by that point of the evening. There was a green skull, and other lights coming from where he performed, and even a section for a high-5 kids like party game. More than a performer, Dan Deacon was like a party entertainer for the night.