hold on

The last time I caught Freddy Ruppert doing his Former Ghosts thing it was way back at the Upset the Rhythm showcase at the Lab, so it was cool to see him again at 21 Grand tonight lo these many months later.  His live act of post-punky synth pop has gotten a bit more polished while still retaining a jagged emotional edge that keeps things exciting.  Amir Coyle brought similar passion to his set earlier in the evening and paced a line close to performance art as he looped and layered his voice into a fractured techno-goth fantasia while dressed in angel wings and a flower pinned to his bare chest.  Meanwhile Chen Santa Maria chose to mine a meditative vein tonight (as opposed to the more abrasive sound I heard from them on the bus Friday night), filling the room beautifully with their hypnotic ambient noise.  And I am so jealous of all the awesome places they are about to visit on their upcoming tour.