Monday, September 26, 2011

Arctic Monkeys and TV on the Radio




This was the first time I've been to a gig held outside in a hotel pool area. The Cosmopolitan was the venue for a double billing - first up was English band Arctic Monkeys followed by TV on the Radio. Apparently some water is drained from the gently sloping large pool, and a barrier is then put along the water line. As the night wore on, many female patrons discarded their fashionably high shoes and sat cooling their feet in the water. The lighting and sound system were excellent and the large video screen gave great close-ups of the musicians.
The Arctic Monkeys put on a tight, high-energy performance and lead singer Alex Turner had a very charismatic stage presence. They played a number of tracks which had received a lot of air play and the crowd responded enthusiastically.
Brooklyn-based TV on the Radio had quite a different sound, blending a fusion of jazz, soul, and electronica. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe was also captivating as he never stopped moving and demonstrated a broad range of vocal gymnastics. My only regret was that I wasn't lounging in the pool while listening...

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