Bloc Party

United Palace Theater, New York, NY 3/30/07

By Daniel Alleva

April 05, 2007

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2 Comments

Bloc Party, the U.K. band currently touring the U.S. in support of their latest album A Weekend in the City, are known for giving live performances that possess the fury of The Clash or The Buzzcocks in their prime. Those who were fortunate enough to see their performance at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn last summer know that Bloc Party are strong performers who play to their strengths by churning out hard charging, disco thumping anthem-punk that works over a crowd with frenzied delight. Unlike their peers, Bloc Party have rejected the virtues of lo-fi chic in favor of glossy glamorama that is one part early new wave, and another part The O.C.

The downside to this fabulous formula is that given the opportunity, people arrive at certain destinations with the intent of being seen, as opposed to seeing something. Such was the case at Bloc Party’s first of two performances at the United Palace Theater in New York City. Despite the fact that the rabid fans in the first ten rows leaped and cheered in unison all throughout the fifteen song set, the rest in attendance seemed to have not noticed that they were actually at a concert. By time the band launched into
“Banquet,” the pulsating track from their previous album, Silent Alarm, it became quite clear that for all of Bloc Party’s stunning efforts, it was just another Friday night in New York to the sold out crowd.

Songs like “The Prayer,” the first single from A Weekend in the City, pounded with menacing fervor and if the crowd was willing, the thrust of “She’s Hearing Voices” could have resulted in pandemonium in the aisles. But at a certain point, vocalist Kele Okereke’s modesty must have gotten the best of him, because he half-joked that the band was “finally getting used to this room,” as if to coyly insinuate that the United Palace Theater - an immaculate and elegant structure that also serves as a church and community center - was somehow too daunting of a presence for those in attendance.

In spite of all this, Okereke and company soldiered on valiantly. “Helicopter,” the last song of the night, crashed through the gates with a thunderous backbeat from drummer Matt Tong, and Okereke marched about the stage with authority - almost daring
the crowd to remain unflinching - as he belted out the refrain, “Are you hoping for a miracle?” As the state of alternative music remains in flux, Bloc Party has managed to remain consistent with their dedication and intensity. It’s just unfortunate that too many
bands and fans alike do not hold themselves to the same standards.

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Posted by Daniel Alleva on 04/06/2007 at 10:04 AM ET

Dear Caucus, Allow me to thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my review. These are special times that we live in that allow us to have dialogue with each other so openly and quickly. I'd like to recommend a DVD called "Sunken Treasure", which chronicles a series of performances Jeff Tweedy gave in the Pacific Northwest during February of 2006. Several scenes encapsulate some of the issues I found particulary prominent at the Bloc Party show last Friday. I feel that we, as the audience, reserve the right to question the tactics of the concert industry, be it in regards to ticket prices or venue selection. Ultimately, however, I feel that change begins with us - starting with how much value we place on the performers, and how much we wish to offer back to them in return. I hope you enjoy the DVD. Happy holidays! Best, Daniel M. Alleva

Posted by caucus on 04/05/2007 at 03:40 PM ET

This review is ridiculous; he's criticizing the audience for a lackluster show that was hampered mostly by bad sound and an overly-restrictive venue. And that 'there to be seen, not see something' line is totally baseless. I was at the first night's show and I'll say that while the performance was fine, the sound was awful and the venue did not lend itself to the same type of atmosphere as McCarren park pool. Hey Daniel Alleva, McCarren park pool is GENERAL ADMISSION! Of course it's going to have higher energy, that's how GA shows work (I would figure someone reviewing a concert would take that into account). The United Palace had assigned seats and I was in the balcony, so I don't know what you expecting people in that postion to do. The reviewer fails to mention that the band asked the audience to come closer up front, and the security guards made a big stink about that and batted people away. So maybe the audience wasn't able to get into as much as they wanted. And the sound WAS bad, the vocals were completely buried (you couldn't make out one word unless you had the lyrics memorized) and the bass was indistinguishable in the mix (which is kind of important when you're a dance band). Sure, the show was LOUD enough, but the guitars sounded like sludge because of the mix. With two guitarists, you need some seperation in the sound or it just becomes a wash. it wasn't the band's fault, it was the audio tech combined with an insufficient sound system. Piss poor review. Don't blame the audience for a less-than-stellar show. And don't compare apples and oranges when it comes to venues (and indoor show w/ assigned seating VS an outdoor general admission show)

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