View print edition front page as a PDF
The Scene
Ambulance rescues Black Cat
10/27/05
He said...
A
There are two sides of rock 'n' roll: fiery power and cool swagger. At the Black Cat on Saturday, two lesser-known New York bands personified these elements. Opener We Are Scientists ignited the audience and headliner Ambulance LTD made everything chill.
We Are Scientists' bass player Chris Cain joked that his band's set would make the crowd weep with envy of their songwriting prowess. However it wasn't so much the music but rather the trio's sheer excitement that made them so fun to watch. Oh sure, they had some catchy tunes - like singles "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "The Great Escape" - but what really made the set was constantly-smiling singer Keith Murray's jumping around and Cain's good humor.
Then Ambulance LTD arrived on the scene and proceeded to convert We Are Scientists' high anxiety rock into cool, bluesy hypnosis. Channeling the Kinks, Beach Boys, Beatles, Velvet Underground and nearly every other sweet band from that era, Ambulance showed outstanding musicality. On old songs like "Yoga Means Union" and new ones like "Totally," the group showed the restraint of veteran performers. They listened to each other and rocked out when the time was right.
After the last bounce of Ambulance's encore cover of Lou Reed's "The Ocean," the surprisingly good show came to a close. The audience filed out of the club satisfied and nearly deaf.
Despite their abilities to captivate music lovers, neither Ambulance LTD nor We Are Scientists are very well known outside of their New York City home. But after a show of equal portions tension and release, it's easy to predict they won't be waiting for breakout success much longer.
- Adam Bender
She said...
A-
A year ago, the Killers breezed through D.C. After racing through roughly six songs atop 9:30's stage, lead singer Brandon Flowers, looking as bored as a cheerleader in church, announced the set was one song away from being done. The manic, sold out crowd booed jokingly, to which Flowers sarcastically quipped, "Wait. How much did you pay for your tickets?" Well, $12, Brandon. You monumentally affected jerk.
A
There are two sides of rock 'n' roll: fiery power and cool swagger. At the Black Cat on Saturday, two lesser-known New York bands personified these elements. Opener We Are Scientists ignited the audience and headliner Ambulance LTD made everything chill.
We Are Scientists' bass player Chris Cain joked that his band's set would make the crowd weep with envy of their songwriting prowess. However it wasn't so much the music but rather the trio's sheer excitement that made them so fun to watch. Oh sure, they had some catchy tunes - like singles "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "The Great Escape" - but what really made the set was constantly-smiling singer Keith Murray's jumping around and Cain's good humor.
Then Ambulance LTD arrived on the scene and proceeded to convert We Are Scientists' high anxiety rock into cool, bluesy hypnosis. Channeling the Kinks, Beach Boys, Beatles, Velvet Underground and nearly every other sweet band from that era, Ambulance showed outstanding musicality. On old songs like "Yoga Means Union" and new ones like "Totally," the group showed the restraint of veteran performers. They listened to each other and rocked out when the time was right.
After the last bounce of Ambulance's encore cover of Lou Reed's "The Ocean," the surprisingly good show came to a close. The audience filed out of the club satisfied and nearly deaf.
Despite their abilities to captivate music lovers, neither Ambulance LTD nor We Are Scientists are very well known outside of their New York City home. But after a show of equal portions tension and release, it's easy to predict they won't be waiting for breakout success much longer.
- Adam Bender
She said...
A-
A year ago, the Killers breezed through D.C. After racing through roughly six songs atop 9:30's stage, lead singer Brandon Flowers, looking as bored as a cheerleader in church, announced the set was one song away from being done. The manic, sold out crowd booed jokingly, to which Flowers sarcastically quipped, "Wait. How much did you pay for your tickets?" Well, $12, Brandon. You monumentally affected jerk.