by RAF KATIGBAK

After witnessing Monday night’s hype circus that was the Electroclash Tour, I came home from the show feeling somehow saddened at what this music movement with a bright future had become (granted, this may have been due to a massive perfectly-cooked-turkey overdose). Although Tracy & the Plastics’ innocent, irreverent humour and ghetto-style, old-media interactive production was fun, vibrant, and interesting, Chicks on Speed’s high-concept high-art performance and Larry Tee’s saccharine lip-synching girl band creation WIT left me feeling that Electroclash has quickly become a caricature of itself. In order for any movement to survive, it must evolve. Tracy & the Plastics’ show had changed completely since her last appearance (opening up for Le Tigre last year) but Chicks on Speed, sadly, didn’t bring anything new to the table and WIT, well, what can I say about WIT? I’m all over that superficiality shit, but please, gimme at least a hint of substance… anything! At least, as most people remarked, they were hot. In the end, despite technical difficulties, it was Peaches’ raw energy and undeniable stage presence that saved the night and left a glimmer of hope for those of us who still believe rockers and ravers can dance side by side. Her magnetic performance oozed cock-rock machismo and dripped fun, dirty sexiness, and the decidedly more guitar-rock sound took the crowd-surfing ex-pat sex-pot in a new fresh direction.

Here is a short point/counterpoint of last Monday’s activities:

Point: The lead singer from WIT tried to bond with the crowd as a Canadian. Counterpoint: The crowd wasn’t havin’ that (she was from Toronto).

Point: Most of the capacity crowd stayed to the bitter end. Counterpoint: Most of the capacity crowd forgot they were at a rock show and decided to just stand around with arms crossed.

Point: Chicks on Speed’s adamant anti-fashion stance got the crowd rockin’. Counterpoint: Being anti-fashion has a price (namely $30 for a T-shirt and original one-offs for $130!).

Point: Peaches rocked. Counterpoint: Yeah, Peaches totally did rock!

Ultimately, I can appreciate the next level of fun and showmanship that these acts have introduced into dance music, but unless they continue to flip the script, this exciting electro boom will sadly fizzle out.

This Saturday, Oct. 19, at the SAT, get ready for another installment of Micro Mutek (9 p.m., $20). This time, it features a live performance by Carabina 30 30 (Dandy Jack and El Suizo Caliente, aka Luciano). If you’re into funky, minimal blips and bleeps, check these guys out, they are the bomb! Also on the bill are local duo Egg and DJ Vincent Lemieux.

Also that night, junglists will want to check out the next IDJ event featuring DJs Vice, Ist, Kinetic and Terra with the usual suspects. Call 401-6774 for details. :

Fashion is for fashion people… buy our shirts! Diskoakimbo@sympatico.ca

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