Review of Ladytron and The Faint at Henry Fonda Theatre
By Jon Hughes
Oh Mondays, how I loathe thee. Back to work, back to the daily grind. Back to the drama, back to the meetings, back to yelling and screaming. Lucky for me, I had some dance-tastic plans after the long day of phone calls and reports. Yes, I was to attend the delightful Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA where Ladytron and The Faint would perform with an intense regime of hardcore beats and a slew of dancing feet.
The way this tour works is simple: The Faint headline one day, while Ladytron headline the next. Both are incredibly large in the electonica scene, so who takes the spotlight? Neither! Share it. Last Monday (4/27), The Faint backed down and opened for Ladytron at an incredibly early time… 8:15PM! I was quite perplexed by the idea of The Faint playing so early, but I went with it. The show included spastics classics as “Paranoia,” “Agenda Suicide,” “Drop-kick The Punks” and also new gems from their newest album such as “Psycho,” “The Geeks Were Right” and “Get Seduced”. Each time I catch The Faint, it manages to get a little bit better than time prior. Last Monday was no exception.
Up next are the new kids on the block: Ladytron. Their 2008 hit record Velocerio is by far their most mature outing to date, coupled with some of the best electronics I’ve heard in ages. If you’re expecting an generic show, go see Backstreet Boys. Ladytron keep it mellow and dark. The main focus in each gorgeous composition is that the band is more focused on performing the tracks flawlessly than jumping around on stage or fist pumping. Truth is, you notice the light show more than the actual members on stage. No problem, no problem, I’m busy dancing to such tracks as “Tomorrow,” “Versus” and fan favorites as “Seventeen” & “Destroy Everything You Touch” to keep me busy, anyway.
With the amount of attention each band has on them at the moment, it’s no wonder they went out on the road together. Keep an eye on these kids, they’re destined for greatness.
Have you seen either band live before? How was it?
