Luna
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Luna
Mercury Lounge
December 31, 2003
By David Chiu
Who needs to go to a swanky New Year's
black tie
affair when you can celebrate at a downtown rock venue
with a bunch of (almost drunk) hipsters? If you that
was your experience on December 31, 2003, that you
were probably at the Luna show. Despite the dense and
trippy sound of guitarist/singer Dean Wareham and
company, the mood all around was quite festive.
There is no argument that Luna has been
the hardest
working indie band for the last two years, a period
that included an album, an EP, and constant gigs (not
to mention Wareham's side project with bassist Britta
Phillips and an acting role in the indie film Piggie).
So it seemed appropriate for the band to close a very
fruitful year on a high note at the Mercury Lounge.
Those familiar with the New York City-based
band (now
going on more than ten years) knows that their sound
is somewhat of an update of the Velvet
Underground--slow, garagey minimalist rock, Wareham's
deadpan singing a la Lou Reed, and lyrics of
detachment. Those qualities were certainly true of
their earlier albums but lately the group's sound has
been warmer and quite romantic (however not
compromising the passionate, complex rock). The hour
and a half set drew tracks from their last studio
album Romantica ("Black Postcards," the lovely
"Mermaid Eyes," "1995"), some older standbys
("Chinatown," "23 Minutes in Brussels"),
and a new
song (the punkish "Speed Bumps").
Luna's music on record is dense and textured;
live
however the band makes it an exhilarating experience.
The interplay between Wareham and guitarist Sean Eden
trading lead and rhythm section was reminiscent of the
chemistry of Television's Tom Verlaine and Richard
Lloyd. Attention was also given to Lee Wall's adroit
drumming and Britta Phillips steady bass and harmony
vocals.
In spite of the sleepy-eyed, almost shoe-gazing
nature
of Luna's sound., the feeling was upbeat on this New
Year's Eve. Early into the set as the clock was
approaching midnight, Wareham brought a boom box to
the microphone as the countdown to 2004 was starting.
Then everyone shouted Happy New Year while raising
their champagne glasses (or should I say plastic cups)
and the audience was sprayed with silly string from
the band. The band proceeded to do a groovy cover of
George McCrae's '70s disco chestnut "Rock Your Baby,"
complete with Wareham's uncharacteristic falsetto. It
was sort of amusing to see some people clumsily
shimmying to a band known more for cerebral music.
If 2003 was a banner year for this popular
underground
alt band, who knows what 2004 will bring. Most likely
great things.
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