It was a double header at the 9:30 club, with Brazilian pop techo band CSS and ultra edgy singer and bass player Sleigh Bells.
By: Melissa Henderson
Brazilian Band CSS
Brazilian band CSS , Cansei de Ser Sexy– which literally means “got tired of being sexy in Portuguese”, rocked the sold out show at the 9:30 club recently, and showed the audience what Portuguese agitpop and new wave electroclash sound is all about. Slightly a blast from the 80s, the five piece eclectic and energetic band rocked the house. What was the most memorable outfit? Lead singer Ana’s black flash – dance – fitted body suit and fishnet tights. She danced around the stage belting out her melodic and funky lyrics, while her mostly female band mates accompanied her with equal animation. There was much stage presence from CSS, as the audience’s feedback was more about crowd surfing and people forming small dance circles during their set. Performing popular tunes like “Music is My Hot Hot Sex” and “Let’s Make Love”, the base and guitarist delivered lots of earsplitting beats coupled with dazzling, yet, bizarre lyrics about past love affairs. After this set, I was slightly ready for what Sleigh Bells had in store for an, already, hot sweaty, ragging audience of young twenty-somethings.
Lead Singer Alexis Krauss on stage at 9:30 Club
Sleigh Bells was an equal surprise. The dramatic and edgy stage lights matched with lead singer Alexis Krauss’ sexy and sassy movements took the mostly male audience for a gangster rock ride. A band composed of a female lead singer and make guitarist redefined what I think post modern rock concerts should be about: loud confusing noise and lots of dancing. Since their first self titled album release in 2009, the group has been tearing up venues across the country, performing at South by Southwest and Coachella music festivals. Starting off the show with a very dramatic entrance, with the drums and the guitar in full focus, “Tell em” from their 2010 album “Treats,” offered a boistorus welcome. Watching from the venue’s balcony, the crowd got loud and, dare I say it, dangerous. Alexis pranced around in an athletic jersey-which resembled the Chicago Bulls basket ball team design, neon tights, and Nike sneakers. By the time Sleigh Bells performed their most popular song “Infinity Guitar”, audience members were on stage, and the American dance punk band had everyone on their feet- including me. The experience was all too new, but they definitely gained a fan. I wouldn’t recommend listening to these bands on your Ipod earphones, as your ear drums will probably be severely damaged.
