Why The New Deal is a big deal.

[nfotxn]

So I went and saw my most favourite band in the whole world tonight. That of course would be The New Deal whom played a rocking 2hr set. I, of course, was up front getting my faggy dance on.

For those not away what the New Deal does let me explain. They are a live progressive house and break beat band. Imagine if you will a very good DJ who keeps an awesome vibe and can spin for hours. Now imagine three very talented musicians playing bass, keys and drums doing that live. Add fantastic lights and visuals and you've got The New Deal. The press hypes them as "Kraftwerk for the new millenium" but their music is far too organic to be equated to Kraftwerk in my mind. There's influences from Herbie Hancock to Aphex Twin to Deelite and Hot Buttered. If it's got a beat and a complex but danceable melody it's in their music.

It's incredible that in this city on a freezing Wednesday night they could really pack Home (bar) and get people moving.

Anyone in and around NYC should check them out. They're doing another two nights at The Bowery Ballroom where they recorded their last Double live LP. Check their website, they also mentioned Boston at the show (looking at you birddog).

What's most exciting about them is that this is really something new that my generation has to offer the world. It's not re-hashed rock'n'roll or hiphop falling all over itself trying to "keep it real". Without getting too grandiose the New Deal represent to me a unique symboisis of new technology and good old traditional musical talent and technique that is very 21st century. There's no tunnel vision like romance with technology, it merely aids the musicians and listeners. It's not just the instruments they play, this band is also like a growing number of bands with a bootleg friendly policy allowing grassroots level promotion via unhindered electronic distribution of recorded shows.

Comments

[werecub.livejournal.com]

I wish, oh i wish i was back home on Long Island right now ... I would kill to see them in concert. Have their non-live cd, it kicks ass so much, they make daft punk look like a cheap trick, i wish i could see them perform.

It doesn't look like they are coming to New Orleans anytime soon either ... woe is me:-(

[mathan.livejournal.com]

Dude, let me know the next time they're playing in the GTA/Hamilton area. We'll go together.

[theotherqpc.livejournal.com]

i have the TND show from camp bisco iii, and i admit that it's not really my style (i hae trouble listening for more than 15 minutes), but it *is* good stuff, and certainly it's awesome to have a house "jam band"...

perhaps the show i have just isn't that great...any reccommendations?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I would listen to the self-titled studio record first then Live Boston/NYC then graduate to the bootlegs. The problems with the booties is that they're usually completely unengineered. This makes them sounds, well, like a microphone sitting in a room. It doesn't "colour" the sound but it's also not really accurate to what you hear first person IMHO.

Also, remember there's some crowd energy stuff here at work here. Check this out. Shit you just don't get with people looking bored in front of laptops, keyboards or turntables.

Kraftwerk?

[brucelloyd.livejournal.com]

Their sound is about as close to Kraftwerk as Motorhead is to Lawrence Welk.

[dirtyglamour.livejournal.com]

I saw Kraftwerk in Chicago awhile back. They were SO motha' frickin' cool. They came out in robot outfits at the end....lined up at their keyboards..and through some sort of optical illusion..turned INTO real robots....

On a side note, I'd love to see Richard D. James, live.....I want to dance with the pink rabbits.