The Rapture

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/therapturejun20.jpg" alt="The Rapture : Live" />The second year of Brooklyn's House of Vans kicked off with The Rapture & Tanlines. ...
The Rapture : Live

Even as many of the New York free summer concert options were dwindling last year, such as the loss of the Fourth of July shows at Battery Park (QRO venue review), non-return of ‘Gone to Governors’ on Governors Island (QRO venue review), and the final end of the once-upon-a-time-at-McCarren Park Pool (QRO venue review) Pool Parties (by then at Williamsburg Waterfront – QRO venue review), there was at least one new entry – the House of Vans (QRO venue review) in Brooklyn.  Located at a warehouse & skate park in Greenpoint, right by the East River, the indoor/outdoor space held free concerts by bands like Cro-Mags (QRO live review), Tokyo Police Club (QRO live review), and LCD Soundsystem (QRO photos) – as well as offering free drinks.  Thankfully, House of Vans has returned for a second year in 2012, and kicked it off with a high interest show by The Rapture & Tanlines on Wednesday, June 20th.

House of Vans

How high was the interest?  Well, "How Deep Is Your Love" for The Rapture – and were you willing to wait in a line that stretched four or five blocks down Franklin Street/Kent Avenue?  And that was after doors had opened at 8:00 PM.  But if you hadn’t expected a major line, you didn’t know how hot The Rapture is.  The electro-dance/rock band in 2006 with the acclaimed Pieces of the People We Love, the group seemed to disappear, but reunited last year with the also acclaimed In the Grace of Your Love (QRO review), selling out massive venues like Terminal 5 (QRO venue review) and playing a SPIN CMJ party that hit fire code max capacity (QRO recap).  And that’s not even counting House of Vans’ draw of free drinks…

The Rapture

One was handed a ticket before entering, raising fears of just drink tickets this year, but that was only to hand to the person at the door – beer was still free.  However, the situation had been tightened up considerably since the year prior.  Instead of multiple beer tables there was only one, at the back of the outdoor skate park, and there was a massive scrum in front of it.  The outdoor section was also divided into drinking and non-drinking sections, with fairly little ability to see the stage (which is indoors) from the drinking section.  It’s all because too many under-21s were getting drinks in the first year – one of them had also hit another with a skateboard, which is why now no skateboards are allowed at the concerts at the skate park…

House of Saxophone

The RaptureWhatever – if you only came for the free drinks, there are many other ways to get drunk for free (even after the end of MyOpenBar.com…).  The House of Vans in 2011 had a diverse line-up – maybe too diverse, at least within any given night, putting punks next to dance and more.  So far, at least with the first two shows that have been announced, the diversity is between nights, not within.  Thursday, July 12th has punks like H2O and 7 Seconds, while the first night at House of Vans stuck to electro-dance with something more.  Even if you think that Tanlines (QRO photos) are somewhat overrated, their more tropical electronica fit well in the evening.  And The Rapture killed it with the appreciative crowd, especially the healthy female contingent right up front.  In the Grace started things off with the title track & "Never Die Again", and closed out the night with the encore return of "Children", "Miss You", and "How Deep Is Your Love?", but the set list (QRO photo) had many pieces from Pieces and the previous Echoes (including "Echoes" before the encore break).  There was more than enough to make you forget about the wait, about the heat (and it was hot that night), the beer section, or that beers ended before the band did (something that did happen last year).  It’s just great that the House of Vans is back.

The Rapture

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Concert Reviews
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