Yesterday I wrote a short thing for NPR Music’s Songs We Love series on the brilliant mad scientist and dance-off ringleader Dan Deacon, and his fantastic and very poppy new single “Feel The Lightning” — which you can read over here.
So last night, this happened:
That’s right. Dan Deacon at the 9:30 Club put on an epic and extremely bonkers set of electro freak dance party music. NPR webcast the show, though I do wonder how much of what went on translates for a listener. Make sure to check out the amazing shots the NPR photographer took… you can even find me in a crowd shot (it’s like a sweaty hipster Where’s Waldo.)
Deacon performed on stage with this 15 person band playing songs of Spiderman of the Rings and Bromst… a full on melee of synths and percussion and hard driving dance grooves. Deacon also coaxed the crowd through a slew of dance contests and audience participation and sing alongs… all of which the crowd happily went berserk over, especially during songs like “Wham City” and “Crystal Cat.”
The show also featured some of the most hilarious (and awesomely terrible) pre-show music I’ve heard in a long time:
“Another Night” by Real McCoy ; “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine ; “Kissed By A Rose” by Seal ; “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes ; “Only Time” by Enya; “No Rain” by Blind Melon
It was like reliving early ’90s Bar Mitzvah parties and middle school mixers, but it left no doubt that Deacon himself was programming the music himself, showing a great sense of humor in the process.
All in all, the show was insanely fun and a total blast.
I wrote a short review of Dan Deacon’s bonkers song “The Crystal Cat,” from his album Spiderman of the Rings, for NPR’s Song of the Day. To read the full review and hear the song go here.
Continue reading NPR Song Of The Day: Dan Deacon, ‘The Crystal Cat’