Frontman, guitarist/lead vocalist Courtney Taylor-Taylor, guitarist Peter Holmström, keyboard/bassist Zia McCabe and drummer Brent DeBoer rocked a house full of hardcore fans. Admittedly late to the party, I am only recently appreciating The Dandy Warhals. They are a tight band having honed their sound now for two decades. It is clear they love what they do as I witnessed on stage. The energy was high and the fans connect with the music. 

 

They opened up the set with 'Crack Cocaine Ranger' from 'The Black' album. The opening suspended-7th guitar riff echoed of Creadence Clearwater Revival. But it quickly chugged into their own driving sound. Then they went into 'Get off' from the 2000 release 'Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia'. This melodic romp really grabbed me. Musically they roamed confidently into some ambient jams that seamlessly segued songs. 'I Love You' is a disturbing juxtaposition. The song title sure sounds like a love song. One you just might want to sing the one you love. Not. The irony is clear in this haunting tune. They performed the particularly attention-grabbling song 'Godless'. The opening cords remotely reminded me of George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord’, but quickly turns its own phrase layered with a smooth horn-like melody that rounds out the song. 

Other songs played:

- 'The Last High’

- 'Plan A’

- 'Good Morning’, 

- 'We Used to Be Friends’

- 'Bohemian Like You’

- ‘Solid'

- 'Chauncey P vs All the Girls in London’

- 'Boys Better' - 'Boys had better beware, you could seem a wasted affair’. 

 

Just announced: The Dandy Warhals will be a headliner for Liverpool's 2016 Sound City Festival.