For those unaware, the best power trio in the country is the New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Screaming Females. Their blend of arena-ready riffs, punk/DIY styling, art rock angles, and openness to jamming with a driving rhythm has coalesced into a powerful musical force. Recent albums Rose Mountain and All at Once have raised their songwriting stakes and national profile, but on stage is where they still do their best work. On a hot summer Friday Night they played to an appreciative crowd in the outdoor courtyard at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York.
Old friends Swearin’ opened the show as the band worked its way through its more pop ready light alternative sound. Tracks like “Dogpile” had guitarist and singer Kyle Gilbride reminding of Mac McCaughan with a nasal-whine style while Allison Crutchfield provided advice (“wait until the winter for bangs”) and more of the poppy fuzz punch with lead vocals on the distorted rumble of set closer “Grow Into A Ghost” about the black glitter of New York City. Their upbeat sound was soothing as the sun set and night fell for the headliners.
That darkness was greeted with the pumping “Agnes Martin” to kick open the show as “The Sun Destroys Me!” was shouted by dynamo Marissa Paternoster as the energy jumped up exponentially. While Paternoster is a whirlwind on the microphone and six-string, the rhythm section is not to be outdone as drummer Jarrett Dougherty kept the beat and Mike Abbate’s Rickenbacker bass in particular laid down a heavy groove; their low-end lock in allowed Paternoster to scale sonic heights.
The psychedelic intro began “Foul Mouth” one of the older turns played which morphed into a heavy metal headbanger while “Black Moon” kicked off a pit in the center of the crowd which gradually transformed into a communal hopping dance party until set closer “Empty Head”. The complete set was one big highlight but a few songs soared even higher as “Ripe” featured slashing guitars and thunderous bass drops and encore “I’ll Make You Sorry” was the crowd pleaser as everyone was ecstatically singing along.
The highest point of the whole show arrived via “Triumph” which combines everything this band does well; a killer groove around deft drumming and a meaty bass line, guitar work which moved from chicken scratch wah-wah into full-on pedal effect majesty as abused drum sticks and a bow were employed then tossed into the crowd when its job was completed. Screaming Females job is to just keep kicking ass with their powerful playing, great songs and energy, all of which were dynamically on display this evening.
