Sunday night's WNY debut of UK indie firebrands Bloc Party was a long time coming and somewhat bittersweet, but also utterly worth the wait. There is something magical about the Rapids Theatre making shows up there special- that perfect fusion of ornate décor, stylish bar, and dynamic stage, along with that frisson of... excitement of being in downtown Niagara Falls. You throw in a New World Records band making an unexpected stop in our area and you've got a night to remember.
The show got off to an exceptional start thanks to a terrific set from Vancouver's Bear Mountain whose tasteful and rousing brand of 80's new wave electro pop quickly won the crowd over. Their lead vocalist and bassist is definitely Bear Mountain's secret weapon, sporting a soulfully elastic voice and swinging bass style that gives their music real hips, emotion, and arena rock scale. In fact, I would've been happy if theirs was the headlining set were if not for the fact that Bloc Party was finally here in Western New York. They came across as fully formed, with tight songs, excellent harmonies, anthemic grandeur, and competent visual accompaniment that you don't generally see from opening acts.
I'd been waiting for Bloc Party since Silent Alarm, but I'd also heard mixed reviews about them live, so I was keen and a tad anxious to see how they measured up live (and cross them off my list). From set opener "Hunting For Witches" however my anxiety turned to pure joy. Kele Okereke's voice was in excellent form, expressive and strong, Matt Tong's mighty kick drum and furious drumming delivered Bloc Party's idiosyncratic syncopation, and Gordon Moakes and Russell Lisack beautifully created the soundscapes found on their four albums, especially Silent Alarm and Weekend In The City. Ripping through a set heavy on material from Four as well as their first two albums, everything was right.
They didn't even care that they were playing to a significantly less than filled house, or if they did, they hid it well. The modest crowd was devoted to the band, and their passion came in handy, perhaps even saving the night. By the time Bloc Party ended their second encore and the evening with a searing "Eating Glass," it felt like we, both crowd and band had found a measure of righteous ecstasy (without actual ecstasy), and we were all joyfully spent.
Bloc Party's first and probably only WNY appearance felt perfect.
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