It’s one thing to say a show is not dull or disappointing, but quite another for it to be the irresistible display of musical coitus that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club delivered this past Tuesday night at the Pageant. The California trio of Robert Levon Been, Peter Hayes, and Leah Shapiro has mastered the slow buildup – demonstrative in everything from their understated black attire to their tightlipped stage presence – making you feel that, despite being surrounded by plethora of shamelessly aroused fellow concert-goers, you’ve stumbled into the most intimate of settings. Everything from the suspense in snail-paced tracks like “666 Conducer,” to the agonizing, heart-stopping kick drum in “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo,” fed the smothering eroticism of their set. So much so, more than a few members of the audience apparently had their inhibitions all but whisked away, leaving lots of dirty dancing (couples and, ahem, singles) in the wake.
Something in the combination of Been man-handling his detuned, at times sitar sounding bass, Hayes’ tingling static guitar and probing harmonica, and their combined, slightly strained vocals (“Shuffle Your Feet”) contributed to the overtaking sultriness one can’t help but fall victim to. The dark blue and soulful music of BRMC is delicious prerecorded, but submerge yourselves in the live sound waves of the Pageant’s impressive setup and you’ll feel yourself slipping away. And, in addition to the exceptional sound quality of their midweek show, BRMC has added yet another (expensive) layer of stimulation to their live set– an impressive light show, complete with strobes, starlight effects, and deep red flood lights that make you feel as though you’re descending into a fiery inferno of temptation (and you are). The fully oppressive sensory experience was spot on – the fabled stuff of every overprotective teen parent’s worst nightmares.
