“Electric Six are the disco-punk band at the end of the world.” So said one fan at their Wednesday, September 27th show at American Beauty in New York. The group originally hails from Detroit, which has its own apocalyptic problems, but rather than moan, Electric Six celebrate, doing everything they can to party before it all comes crashing down.
The quite prolific group is releasing their thirteenth record on October Thirteenth (a Friday), How Dare You?, but only the title track was featured on the set list. This might have less to do with it not being out yet, than that Electric Six have twelve prior albums, going all the way back to their 2003 debut Fire and its breakthrough singles “Gay Bar” and “Danger! High Voltage” (a.k.a. the two songs that they still have to play every time). The set list was a mix-and-match from Fire through to Dare, though the first record was the most represented of any. With soon-to-be-thirteen records, they of course missed songs you love (such as “Randy’s Hot Tonight” and “Lenny Kravitz” from 2007’s I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being the Master – QRO review), but still had so many awesome ones, the night beginning with “Rock and Roll Evacuation” off of 2006’s Senor Smoke (it’s awesome line, “I don’t like the President / He don’t know how to rock!” is even more applicable today – right up there with “Drop the deuce” to rhyme with the title line of “(Be My) Skin Caboose” of last year’s Fresh Blood For Tired Vampyres).
Other great pieces played included “The New Shampoo” (from 2013’s Mustang – QRO review), not just “Gay Bar” but following it up with mock-sequel “Gay Bar Part Two (2008’s Flashy – QRO review), Fire’s “Improper Dancing” (particularly appropriate as New York finally repeals its archaic anti-dance cabaret laws – and chorus line, “Have you ever been to New York City!?!”), Switzerland’s “I Buy the Drugs”, Exterminate’s “Down at McDonnelzzz”, and, yes, “Danger! High Voltage”.
[note: American Beauty for some reason has two separate person cage’s on up on its far wall, and yes, a girl got in the one nearest the stage to dance for “Gay Bar” – only to be outdone by guys rocking both during “McDonnelzzz”…]
And special mention must of course be made of singer Dick Valentine’s (QRO interview) between-song banter. There was everything from counting the songs (and getting off count) to mock dissing both where they’d just played (Boston) and where they would (Philadelphia). “Those were our worst three songs,” he announced after the night’s third song. “We need you to buy our album so we have enough money to make it to Edison, New Jersey.” “This is the ninety-seventh venue we’ve played in this town, but I really feel like we’ve finally arrived.” “I don’t like to say it, but we’re legends.”
Given the state of things in America & the world, the end of the world seems closer than ever. But if it comes, Electric Six will still be having a party.
