Photo Credit: Jeff DeMars
Between the black-and-white checkered floor-tiles, the enthusiastic, captivated audience and the sheer energy of the band, Wild Flag‘s October 20th show at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. seemed something like a homecoming. Amidst the buzz created by the success of their self-titled debut album and highly regarded live performances, the rock quartet played its second sold-out show in D.C. this year. And in spite of the virtually palpable anticipation hanging in the air before the concert, Wild Flag’s first return to the Black Cat since March felt remarkably intimate.
An ideal venue for an up-and-coming band, the Black Cat’s low-ceiling, cramped stage, ample bar-space and laid-back atmosphere meshed perfectly with the strong personalities of Wild Flag. Prior to the show, Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss collectively built excitement while setting the personable and easy-going mood of the evening as they chatted with friends and fans alike on the floor. By the time they took the stage around 10:30, there was no question that these ladies had only one thing in mind: kicking ass and having fun while doing it.
Wild Flag started the show by launching into “Black Tiles,” the closing track off their eponymous debut (and only) studio album. The tightness of Weiss’s punchy drum line and Brownstein’s distinctive guitar riffs ringing out into the crowded room marked a transformation the band has undergone since their March tour. Wild Flag’s pre-studio experimental tour in early 2011 revealed a group unsure of its direction, and lacking the chemistry and cohesion needed to be successful long-term. By comparison, Wild Flag’s October return to the Black Cat showcased a band with a firm grip on live performance and their own aesthetic.
This latest tour also indicated a dramatically improved dynamic and rapport between the band members, which was certainly hinted at in March but not yet fully formed. Wild Flag played every song on the set list with the passion and raw energy fans of these four musicians have come to expect, and now will expect from the group itself. Timony and Brownstein constantly leapt and kicked into the air, guitars in hand, and shared countless more musical moments than their previous performance in D.C. Even drummer Weiss found herself so caught up in the moment that she lost her place in the set between “Romance” and “Glass Tambourine.” The band handled moments like these with ease, taking mistakes and technical issues in stride while chatting jovially with an audience eager to listen. Brownstein joked about life in Portland and her short stint at NPR while Timony gave a shout out to her local guitar students watching eagerly from backstage. Overall, Wild Flag’s witty remarks and short stories brought the audience closer to the band and gave the concert warmth and relaxation.
As the night wore on, Wild Flag’s style of play grew increasingly visceral. “Something Came Over Me” featured a riffy, ear-pleasing jam on guitar signature only of Brownstein, and virtually every other song was drummed, sung, keyed and strummed with an awe-inspiring vigor uncharacteristic of most professional musicians, young or old. In addition to playing almost every track off of their album, Wild Flag casually inserted two brand new songs and two classic covers into the set. Within the main set originals “Winter Pair” and “Nothing” served as reassurance to all that the band plans to continue writing and touring together into the future, while encore covers of The Ramones and Television reaffirmed Wild Flag’s dedication to its edgy musical influences.
Show closer “Racehorse” was undoubtedly the highlight of the night, serving as the punctuation to what will go down as a breakout performance for the band. For close to fifteen minutes jarring riffs moaned from Brownstein and Timony’s guitars, reverberating throughout the room as Brownstein wailed repeatedly into the microphone. Backed solidly by Cole dancing around her keyboard and an unwavering Weiss emphatically beating her drums, Wild Flag closed its main set with a series of exclamation points. Only once the band finally left the stage and the sold-out Black Cat erupted into cheers and applause for more music could one fully comprehend just how much potential Wild Flag has.
Consistent with the overall message of their first official release, over the course of 70-minutes of solid, jam-infused rock music, Wild Flag demonstrated a strong desire to live in the moment and enjoy doing so. The spirit of this dazzling performance lingered in the air long after Brownstein, Timony, Cole and Weiss exited the stage, leaving a sold-out crowd buzzing with an adrenaline rush that would continue long after they wandered out into the brisk Washington, D.C. evening.
Photo Credit: Jeff DeMars
Setlist:
Black Tiles
Short Version
Electric Band
Romance
Glass Tambourine
Future Crimes
Something Came Over Me
Winter Pair (new song)
Nothing (new song)
Boom
Racehorse
Encore:
Judy is a Punk (Ramones cover)
See No Evil (Television cover)
