Review by: Elle Tourjman | Photos By: Nadine Swiger

Heloise Williams lit up the stage at the Primus, Gogol Bordello and Heloise & The Savoir Faire show. I mean she literally lit up the stage with an over-the-top, silver sequin number, complete with matching cape. On either side of Williams was a dancer, one male, one female, dressed in red, black and white striped costumes. I personally found the dancers rather entertaining with their improv movements and their very bizarre,  hand-made hats perched atop their heads.

Heloise Williams definitely has a very powerful voice with enough force to knock you backwards, if you happened to be standing close enough to receive the full impact. She hit all the high notes, which was no easy feat considering how energetic she was onstage. She dances like a psychedelic disco queen at her own ball.

I perked up when she mentioned a “Beowulf” song, but was disappointed when it didn’t sound the way I imagine a Beowulf song ought to sound. In all fairness, with a topic as epic as Beowulf, not that many bands could do it any justice with the exception of Led Zeppelin, Dream Theater, or the Norwegian Black Metal bands perhaps.

Half way through the set, Williams declared with great conviction, “This is a song about douche bags, including us!” In mid-song, Williams decided to change outfits right on the stage as the dancers assisted. Unfortunately, the song was never actually completed due to difficulties during the costume change. She did get herself situated and unveiled her new costume which was stranger then the first. It was a messy green outfit with black tights. I wasn’t the only one completely dumbfounded, since Williams felt it merited an explanation, “It’s a Bug’s Life ya’all. It’s a Bug’s Life.” I can see how they are a favorite among the drag queens after watching the male dancer did what can only be described as the ‘butt jiggle dance’ in his tight tights.

Heloise & The Savior Faire gave an unusual, off-the-wall and truly unique performance. They remind me of the twisted, bizarre side of early Perry Farrell and Jane’s Addiction.

Next up was the infamous gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello. They exploded onto the stage with the crowd cheering them on enthusiastically. Gogol’s sound is quite unique. It’s an upbeat blend of something that sounds like a ray gun mixed in with an accordion, thumping bass, drums, fiddle, bongos and guitars. The grassroots fans went wild as they spun, hopped and and danced around in circles to the infectious music. I looked around and noticed that just about everyone there was moving in some way or another. Vocalist, Eugene Hütz lead the crowd in high-spirited antics from the moment he took the stage. In fact, the entire band seemed to be enjoying themselves quite thoroughly, but none so much as Eugene.

I really liked the fact that even though there was a dancer onstage, she was not the focal point of the performance. Not only does she dance, she did backing vocals and percussion as well. She blended in as just one more member of the band. I know its been said that Gogol Bordello plays very raw music and I suppose they do in a way. However, I also believe that their sound has come a long way from those days. They were very practiced, yet free, very open and giving of themselves to the fans while also basking in an outpouring of emotion reminiscent of the original Woodstock.

My favorite song of the night was definitely “Start Wearing Purple.” Not only was it well played but it also had great, uplifting energy. It was just fun. By the end of their set, singer Eugene Hütz had managed to remove the three shirts that he had started with, showing off his wirey physique. As they played an encore to their song “Break The Spell”, it was as if the spell they had cast over the crowd was truly ending.

Primus was up next and getting ready to cast their own brand of magic over the audience. Night fell as the fans anxiously awaited the appearance of their beloved band. There were two gigantic astronauts, one on either side of the stage, that added an unreal sense to the evening. On the face masks of the spacemen were various images displayed in a martian green. The whole stage had an almost B movie feeling to it, which was completed when Les Claypool took the stage wearing a huge top hat. Right away the crowd got into the music, dancing and swaying along to the groovy rhythms and funky, staccato beats, bringing you back to early 1990’s. “Old school” Primus was back in the house, giving a performance as if they had never left.

Clearly they are still a fan favorite. Different from Gogol Bordello’s intensity and do-or-die energy, Primus proves that they still have a presence that is timeless. Try as you may but you can’t draw yourself away from their performance They are mesmerizing to watch, especially Les Claypool, who jams like nobody’s business. I almost wish they could cut the lyrics out altogether and just focus on the bass guitar beats and the beauty of music that comes from the heart. Larry LaLonde’s fingers seemed to fly on fret work that made you feel like you really must be in outer space because they seemed to defy gravity itself. Of course Jay Lane’s clean, perfectly timed drumming skills and Les Claypool’s fearless bass brought the performance to new heights. Together, they served up an out-of-this-world performance.

It seemed like the crowd was also part of the night’s spectacle. There was a pig’s head on a pole with flashing lights in its eyes, a blow-up doll or two and hippies grooving and swaying everywhere. I felt like I had stepped onto another world completely. Where was the spaceship that had transported me here? Primus wrapped up the ethereal set with an encore of ‘My Name is Mudd.” The crowd trickled out, most of us loathe to break the spell. It was truly an unique experience,that I would recommend trying out for yourself. Still humming “Behind My Camel” to myself as I made my way to the car, I can only wonder to what new heights Primus’ next show will bring fans.

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PHOTO GALLERIES:

PHOTO GALLERY :: PRIMUS

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

HELOISE & THE SAVOIR FAIRE : www.heloisemusic.com

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GOGOL BORDELLO : www.gogolbordello.com

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PRIMUS : www.primusville.com

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