Soon after setting their canvas kicks on American soil Monday, the Futureheads succeeded in conquering the 9:30 club. This band's live show is perfect for those who grew up watching "Sesame Street" and consequently developed short attention spans. The songs are fast-paced and jerky, and out of the whole lot only one clocks in at more than three minutes in length.
Entering the stage to Queen's epic "Bohemian Rhapsody," the band set the tone for a night of lively antics. It began with "Le Garage," a track that perfectly exemplifies how each of the four band members plays a vital role in their vocal arrangements. Every Futurehead is either singing "ooh," "ahh" or "do do do" at different points, and it all magically fits, sounding remarkably close to the harmonies that click so tightly on their self-titled debut.
The band members hail from northern Sunderland, England, and their thick accents influenced audience response to the repartee that occurred between tunes. The band members teased each other and urged the audience to appropriately rock out, dedicating "A to B" to the lazy people in the crowd. Their set comprised their brilliant slew of album tracks - the 2004 self-titled release holds the second slot on Rough Trade's Top 100 albums of the year and No. 5 on New Music Express' annual chart.
The Futureheads come complete with a guitarist who was probably separated at birth from Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, and a drummer, Dave Hyde, who neglected to move his torso during the entire set. His arms stayed low and methodically hit the snare and cymbal while he maintained perfect spinal alignment. Hyde's lack of motion failed to hinder onlookers from dancing unashamedly to standout tracks like "In the Meantime" and chiming into the audience participation segment of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love."
The Futureheads successfully bombarded the audience with so many roaring guitar and vocal parts that boredom was nonexistent. The normally "too cool" audience imitated the band's excitement - awkward hopping and head-bopping were prevalent - and at concert's end, the band had successfully won the hearts (and gazes behind thick-framed glasses) of the D.C. Brit-pop scene.
