One of the rarest acts to ever come through Lawrence, The Raveonettes of Denmark came to add to the headliners of Scion Garage Fest, an indie music festival held within four of the best venues downtown. Saturday there was a reinforced army of indie kids patrolling the streets, including travelers from places as near as St. Louis and Colorado, and as far as Toronto, all in town for a free show including over 20 bands from every sub-genre of indie rock. Many folks were left wondering how any of the bands or venues made any money at all, when the tickets for this huge festival were given away for free to anyone who RSVPed for the event, but nobody was complaining, even waiting in a line an entire block long to get their free ticket.
With between five and ten bands in lineups at the Jackpot, the Bottleneck, the Granada and Liberty Hall, the festival never felt too crowded. In fact, The Raveonettes set at 11 p.m. at Liberty Hall was surprisingly empty, the largest venue in town was only one third full. But having the crowd spread out between four bars made the show feel all the more intimate for the dedicated fans willing to miss other great sets to catch their favorite band.
The Raveonettes have a unique style of indie rock based on old 50's and 60's pop mixed with dark, energetic guitar riffs and noise. There's really nothing else to compare it to, you just have to hear them for yourself. In their live sets the band really lets loose with lengthier jams and openings and endings to their songs not normally heard in their records.
The crowd, small though it was, got down to the bands' more energetic, upbeat tunes, and cooled off during their slower, more melancholy pieces. The Raveonettes sounded grateful and happy to play for their loving fans, and played a full hour set, including this reviewer's three favorite songs, Last Dance, Aly, Walk With Me, and Lust. Other awesome hits included Blush, Dead Sound, and Let's Rave On. Between oldies like Love In A Trashcan, and newer songs like Gone Forever, the band reminded the audience of why they are so awesomely addictive.
Even with a small fraction of the crowd they deserved, the band still came back out for a 2-song encore, for their dedicated followers, leaving the crowd on the upbeat note of That Great Love Sound. The Raveonettes really know how to show love for their fans!
It may be a long time before this band is around these parts again, but if you ever get a chance to catch them, don't miss it! The Raveonettes are a creative, musical force everyone should hear.
Now for Previews:
If you didn't get enough Indie rock yesterday, The Mountain Goats will be at the Bottleneck with Wye Oak at 8 p.m. The Mountain Goat's indie-folk blend is a melodic journey of catchy choruses and diverse sounds in each song. The show is set to cost $15 according to Lawrence.com.
But for the more thrifty music-lovers, don't forget about Mudstomp Mondays at the Granada at 9 p.m. For just $2 you can catch some local acts that are just starting to show off their new stuff in their first live performances, as well as great, experienced bluegrass acts like Deadman Flats.
Then Tuesday, Trampled by Turtles will be playing at the Bottleneck at 8 p.m. for $11. One of the most catchy, folk/bluegrass acts in the nation, Trampled by Turtles are always a great time, so if you can afford it, this show will be well worth the cost.
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