Where do I begin with this gig? The bill is Moon Duo with Plastic Nancy, from Richmond, opening. Upon arriving at the club I learn that Plastic Nancy hasn’t arrived yet. It’s 10 minutes passed doors. Eventually they get to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hotel and set up their impromptu stage in front of the stage on the floor.
While this is going on I also learn that a legendary member of a legendary band is sitting 20 feet from me. They call him Papi Saicos and he’s one of the last original members of the global pioneers of punk rock, Los Saicos. They’re a garage rock band from Lima, Peru dating back to 1964. This predates The Sonics’ first album, The Stooges’ first album, The Velvet Underground’s first album, and pretty much anyone who was elemental to the progression of punk rock. (Read more about Los Saicos, here) I’m now standing there astonished about the fact that I’ve never heard of them or their legacy before, being a massive fan of the 1960’s proto-punk.
The time comes for us to go down to the stage area where we’re met with the unusual set up the night presented us with. Plastic Nancy’s stage set up was off the stage and on the ground, which is the first time I’ve seen that anywhere. It was easily the most intimate set I’ve ever experienced, as some of us took turns holding the bass drum in place from sliding around. Plastic Nancy performed a group of fun psych rock songs that slowly got more and more intense. They ended their set by inviting the Los Saicos entourage in, and they all played the Los Saicos song “Demolicion.” Everyone went insane. The audience was either mouth agape or shouting the lyrics with Papi Saicos. As everyone was packing up, Papi Saicos introduced himself and gave a very memorable speech expressing his gratitude that his bands songs are gaining recognition nearly 60 years later.
The lights dim and I stood there wondering how this night could get any better. Moon Duo, (comprised of guitarist Ripley Johnson, keyboardist Sanae Yamada, and drummer John Jeffrey), had the stage perimeter surrounded with a transparent sheet that hung from the ceiling. They had it shaped like a pyramid with the base being at the front of the stage and the summit being at the back. Stage right are the synths, center-stage are the drums, and stage left are guitars. With this came 5 projectors they had pointed into this pyramid set up.
As they hit the stage and started playing, the projectors unleashed a psychedelic array of images that flashed and moved all about. They started out playing songs from their newly released album, Stars Are The Light. The drums take over and are accompanied by intricate weavings of Ripley’s guitar. The drums are the heart and the synth are the soul of the band. I found myself totally in a trance following the rhythm of the drums. They also mixed in songs from their previous albums Occult Architecture Vol. 1 (2017) ,and Circles (2012).
This night served as a blatant reminder of two things for me. 1.) There’s always new things to enjoy and learn, no matter how much you know. 2.) Moon Duo fucking rocks. The stunning visual light show and, the even more stunning live performance from masters of their craft, make this show to see 100 times over. Moon Duo travels to Kingston, NY Friday and then treks on to Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. If you ever have a chance to see them on this tour or the next, DO IT!
All photos copyright and courtesy of Alex Koch.
