CSS @ Webster Hall NYC

Let me just preface this by saying that I was shocked to even be able to get tickets the night before the event. After nearly an entire autumn dominated by Rachael Yamagata making the rounds to promote her new album (at B&N Union Square, with the Hotel Cafe Tour, and on her solo tour at Bowery Ballroom), I was thrilled to find that one of the bands that I've been most curious about for the past year, Cansei de Ser Sexy, would be playing in New York. CSS is that band that has a really good look, and a really good story, and really interesting interviews in all the magazines, but I'd never actually listened to much of their stuff before. I'd heard the odd snippet on myspace, but hadn't had a proper sit down to see what they were all about. After the events of Wednesday night, I think it's pretty safe to say that I am a very grateful convert. First off, Webster Hall is one of my favorite venues. I've seen some of my all time favorite shows there: Corinne Bailey Rae, The Gossip, and now CSS...There's no barrier to keep the audience away from the stage (which can be both a good and bad thing at times), and the stage itself is not so high up (if you're over 5'4", you can rest your elbows on the edge quite comfortably until a crowd surfer lands on your head because you were looking at the stage and didn't see him coming...*sigh*).

The show opener was a band called Ssion (pronounce that however you like...). This involved a heavily mustachioed lead singer, a keyboardist/sound engineer, a drummer, and two scantily clad boy back-up dancers. The music was club funky house goodness and with the antics of their lead singer and the dancing boys, there was not a dull moment in their set. And I will say this: their stage set was really quite elaborate for an opening act at such a small venue.

On to the main attraction: CSS at Webster Hall was the most insane show I have attended in my adult life! Lovefoxxx took to the stage wearing a black and white mudcloth printed bodysuit (with matching ankle boots...that, I'm sure, were not easy to find), and a feathered headdress, giving her the appearance of one of Maurice Sendak's famous Wild Things...and in this case, appearances were not deceiving. The action and energy on stage translated into utter madness on the floor. Did I mention the insane amount of crowd surfers using crowd surfing itself to circumvent security and have themselves deposited directly onto the stage? One guy was just plain greedy! I'm sure he was passed over or near my head and onto stage at least four times. And I took more than one unsuspecting foot to the back of the head when I was so focused on the band's antics on stage that I neglected to notice whole human beings hurtling toward my cranium. What could bring even more madness than this? I'll tell you what: Lovefoxxx in the audience, that's what! Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!! Absolutepandemonium! And we loved it! She came down, not once, but twice...and toward the end of the show, after the "encore" (is it really an encore if you leave stage and we all know that you're coming back? I'm just sayin'...), Ana (keyboardist/guitarist extraordinaire) decided to have at it as well via a little crowd surfing. On her second go, she actually fell down into the audience and yours truly helped her up to her feet (so she wouldn't get trampled by all the people who didn't realise who the skinny girl at their feet was at first) and back on to the stage. Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I freely admit that there were a few times when I actually feared for my life (my life being my camera and her well being), but seeing CSS live at Webster Hall was, without question, one of my most exhilarating experiences in recent history...and I hope it's not too long before I can do it again! Oh, and did I forget to mention that I got a copy of the first cd signed by all the band members for the low low price of $12? Yeah, here's a shot of that, too. Jealous much?

Here's a snippet of what you missed...



Video courtesy of lickyoats on youtube. cheers!