For Your HEALTH

For the longest time, I kept saying that I would never join Twitter. Well here I am 500+ tweets later and I'm totally addicted. So what finally got me to crack and create an account? Free stuff of course! I noticed that my friends kept winning free food, tickets, etc. I decided that I need to get in on this racket and lo and behold, I immediately started reaping the benefits. I've received free cds and tickets but nothing as sweet as winning a chance to see HEALTH on June 19, 2010 at Great Scott. A big thanks goes out to the great people at CitySearch Boston where I won the tickets for answering the question, "Why do you dance?" My answer? "I dance because its an uncontrollable and compulsive cathartic release."

Unfortunately, I got to the venue right as The Death Set were winding down their set. I have seen them before and they put on a performance where you seriously do not want to miss one second. They brought some dirty, fast punk with mixed electronics which doused the audience in energy. They are one of the most pleasingly frantic bands you will ever see. I only caught three songs but they were equally amazing. Each song blazed by and they played samples in between that sounded like they were from old Death Row Records albums. The first song I got to witness was "Paranoia" which serves as the perfect example of their breakneck speed and delivery. Next came, an incredible and unexpected cover of Nirvana's "Territorial Pissings". When walking in during there set, I stated that I would be happy if I still got to hear "Negative Thinking" which happened to be their final song so it ended on a very gratifying note. It was great to see people dancing as hard as they could and really feeling the music. Hopefully, it's not too long until they come around again. Below is the video for "Negative Thinking".



Indian Jewelry played next and overwhelmed the crowd with a set of noisy, percussive music. The group had a very unusual style and were definitely going for the wall-of-distortion sound a la My Bloody Valentine. My biggest complaint was that multiple band members contributed vocals and they were all drenched in delay; so much so that it became almost unbearable at times. Their recordings are like this too and I honestly can't understand why. Some of the music was actually really cool and intriguing if it weren't for this. I found myself bobbing my head to some of the tribal drumming and entrancing rhythms. It was clear by the end, however, they should not have followed The Death Set. It completely killed the momentum of the concert.

Finally HEALTH, one of the most unique and polarizing bands right now, took the stage and were ready to bombard eardrums with their unrelenting yet strangely danceable noise. These guys have been making quite the name for themselves and had been handpicked by Trent Reznor to open for Nine Inch Nails last year. Once you see their live show, you completely understand the hype. These guys are able to create some of the most perplexing and stimulating sounds live which gets the blood pumping of everyone in the crowd. Listening to them on record, you realize that they aren't exactly the most accessible band. But with each album, comes an album of remixes that brings out the beauty in their chaos.

They walk this fine line flawlessly in the live setting. Get Color standout "Die Slow" had the ground shaking with people dancing their heart out; there was not one person standing still. Other songs like "Courship" and "Crimewave" had everyone gawking, wondering what we were hearing an how the hell they were even creating it. The two aforementioned songs are also infamous for their more danceable incarnations off of their collaboration on the debut album from Crystal Castles. "USA Boys" from the recently released Disco2 album, was another standout which had everyone grooving and showed their more accessible side. It was certainly one of the most lively concert experiences I've seen all year and something that is highly recommended to see for yourself. The band had won me over as one of the most creative groups currently touring the country.

Anyone who noticed the Dr. Steve Brule quote in the title, probably is aware that Eric Wareheim directed the absolutely insane video for "We Are Water". If you haven't had the pleasure of witnessing it yet, I am embedding it below along with the equally crazy videos for "Die Slow" and "USA Boys". Note: NSFW.

"We Are Water"

HEALTH "We are Water" from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.

"Die Slow"

HEALTH "DIE SLOW" from Lovepump United on Vimeo.

"USA Boys"

HEALTH :: USA BOYS :: MUSIC VIDEO from Lovepump United on Vimeo.

If you're curious, their live show looks something like this:

HEALTH: A Live Show (Paris, 2009) directed by Vincent Moon of La Blogotheque


HEALTH _ a live film (paris, 2009) from vincent moon / temporary areas on Vimeo.

HEALTH: Don't Look Down Set


HEALTH - Tabloid Sores (Pitchfork Music Festival, 2008)