Not only is “Work, Work, Work, Pub, Club Sleep” one of The Rakes' greatest songs, it is also a lifestyle that many of us abide by. That is because The Rakes are, in every sense of the phrase, a working class band. Hailing from London, England, the foursome (and one unofficial new member) made a triumphant return to New York City earlier this week at the 650 capacity Bowery Ballroom. Now touring their junior effort Klang!, the last time they were in the States was nearly two years ago when they were promoting their second album, Ten New Messages.
After opening bands Sean Bones and The Dig finished their sets, the crowd waited anxiously with baited breath to see their heroes return to the stage. As the clock struck ten, The Rakes hit the stage and the British packed crowd, including lead singer of The Strokes, Julian Casablancas, were dancing as if no time had passed since they were last here.
Lead singer Alan Donohoe led the crowd as only he could--with his awkward speeches and angular dance moves. When one looks at him, his resemblance to the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division is immediately apparent. Not only does he look like him, but he also has similar seizure-like dance moves and vocals to boot. His energy was contagious and the audience fed off it, which led to pogo-ing and eventually a mosh pit!
The Rakes' hour long set was filled with a healthy mix of songs from their first album, Capture/Release, and their third record Klang! Noticeably missing from the set list were songs off their second effort, Ten New Messages, which was a little upsetting, but understandable considering their catalogue has grown considerably!
The crowd was aching for more when The Rakes left the stage for good after their explosive encore. Thankfully, for those who did not get their Rakes fill, the band had another show the next night at Brooklyn’s tiny Union Hall! Let’s hope we do not have to wait another two more years for another Rakes show, because as the crowd demonstrated, The Rakes are both loved and missed!
Setlist: You're In It, Retreat, We Danced Together, Terror!, Light From Your Mac, Open Book, Woes Of The Working Woman, 22 Grand Job, That's The Reason, Violent, Binary Love, We Are All Animals, 1989, The Loneliness Of The Outdoor Smoker, The World Was A Mess But His hair Was Perfect, Strasbourg.
**All photos courtesy of Olga Bas**
After opening bands Sean Bones and The Dig finished their sets, the crowd waited anxiously with baited breath to see their heroes return to the stage. As the clock struck ten, The Rakes hit the stage and the British packed crowd, including lead singer of The Strokes, Julian Casablancas, were dancing as if no time had passed since they were last here.
Lead singer Alan Donohoe led the crowd as only he could--with his awkward speeches and angular dance moves. When one looks at him, his resemblance to the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division is immediately apparent. Not only does he look like him, but he also has similar seizure-like dance moves and vocals to boot. His energy was contagious and the audience fed off it, which led to pogo-ing and eventually a mosh pit!
The Rakes' hour long set was filled with a healthy mix of songs from their first album, Capture/Release, and their third record Klang! Noticeably missing from the set list were songs off their second effort, Ten New Messages, which was a little upsetting, but understandable considering their catalogue has grown considerably!
The crowd was aching for more when The Rakes left the stage for good after their explosive encore. Thankfully, for those who did not get their Rakes fill, the band had another show the next night at Brooklyn’s tiny Union Hall! Let’s hope we do not have to wait another two more years for another Rakes show, because as the crowd demonstrated, The Rakes are both loved and missed!
Setlist: You're In It, Retreat, We Danced Together, Terror!, Light From Your Mac, Open Book, Woes Of The Working Woman, 22 Grand Job, That's The Reason, Violent, Binary Love, We Are All Animals, 1989, The Loneliness Of The Outdoor Smoker, The World Was A Mess But His hair Was Perfect, Strasbourg.
**All photos courtesy of Olga Bas**
awesome review friend, awesome!
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