Phantogram – Il Motore – Sunday, February 21st

While the Canada/U.S.A. hockey game ended on the TV at the bar, Oxford, Mississippi’s Junk Culture took the stage almost unnoticed.  Soon enough though, all attention was on Junk Culture’s sole member, Deepak Mantena’s fast paced, soulful beats and almost hypnotic videos, which were projected on a white curtain behind him.  The set consisted of songs from his debut 2009 LP West Coast, which sounds like a mash up of hip hop, Animal Collective, and dance music, aside from the constant tropical-like influences on each track.  While Mantena’s random screams into the microphone raised some eyebrows, made a few people flinch, and has some scratching their heads, it was quite a fun set overall.

After a short break, Saratoga Springs, NY’s Phantogram began the second half the show.  Just two members and a whole lot of tricks up their sleeves, the duo wasted no time getting the crowd going, playing a set that consisted, like Junk Culture, of songs from their newly released, debut LP Eyelid Movies.  One thing about this performance that should be pointed out, is that the songs got stronger as the show went on.  Barthel’s angelic voice was in top form, and Carter, looking very focused during the performance, played guitar, provided sometimes Bowie-esque vocals, as well as underlining drum beats that, (perhaps) because of the mix, sounded fuzzy at times.

Opening the set with “As Far As I Can See” seemed like a safe bet for an opener, with other early set choices like “Mouthful Of Diamonds” and the haunting “All Dried Up” feeling like simpler, somewhat more “accessible” choices, making way for more “complex” numbers such as “You Are The Ocean,” and an incredible performance of “Futuristic Casket.”  “Ocean,” along with “Casket,” were instant highlights, and received much applause.  Unfortunately, there was no encore, after a long applause capped off the show, but they surely performed well enough to earn the rest of the night off. – Jordan Ghetler

Phantogram

Junk Culture

Photography by Kenneth Suss

Tags: 2010, Animal Collective, Deepak Mantena, Eyelid Movies, Il Motore, Jordan Ghetler, Josh Carter, Junk Culture, Kenneth Suss, PHANTOGRAM, Sarah Barthel, West Coast