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Dengue Fever at Spaceland in Silverlake, CA - 3/15/04
The initial reason for trekking out to Spaceland in Silverlake was seeing LA band, Future Pigeon. Theyre the reggae outfit that supplied the much-needed breath of fresh air at last years Elliott Smith memorial concert with their brave take on the late singers XO. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to witness two exceptional new bands in The Idaho Falls and Dengue Fever (the latter featuring a Khmer-speaking, Cambodian lead singer). Idaho Falls opened the show with a wonderful, dreamy set of California old-school country rock, playing the kinds of songs that remind you why you bought all those Gram Parsons records to begin with. Idaho Falls is amongst several local bands, as Ive discovered, bringing country pop back into the mix in Southern California, and they breezed through numbers like, I Take a Drink and Let the Devil do the Rest and Country Song with the exuberance of young revivalists. It was a clinic of male-female harmonizing and pedal steel guitar playing, and there was even a bit of modern-rock drumming and a smattering of guitar feedback to save them from the dredges of pure nostalgia. Future Pigeon followed with an inspired set of modern dub, blanketing the club with their brand of 70s reggae. Distilling a lot of the pure elements of the genre, the band took standard rhythms and bass lines and bathed them in electronic flourishes and reverb. The jams were jazzy and intense, veering off into outer space at times, and their sparse lyrics added a detached quality to the performance. Songs like Psychodelic Killer proved they can be weird (always good), and showcased a sense of humor (even better). One might imagine The Beastie Boys if the Beasties played straight dub. After opening sets of country and reggae, one might have expected a soul outfit next (all three genres seem to be enjoying a renewed interest these days), but instead the audience was treated to something betterand more exotic. Looking elegant in formal Asian dress and red hood, Chhom Nimol took to the stage backed by her American counterparts like a Cambodian Little Red Riding Hood, and in an instant, Dengue Fever had everyone on the edge of their seats with their searing, ethereal take on 60s (Southeast Asian) pop. For those unfamiliar, imagine Nancy Sinatra singing The Animals Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood or House of the Rising Sunin Khmer. They proved to be the highlight of the night. All three bands will perform again at Spaceland in April (for free).
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