The last time I saw Warpaint was 3 years ago half way across the world, in a brutally rainy and windy Singapore. Last Tuesday (March 25), I found myself at the popular slant-floored music venue, The Danforth Music Hall, anxiously waiting to get drenched in fat bass lines, eerily beautiful harmonies, and straight up groovy drum beats. I'd like to say it was worth the wait.
Cate Le Bon, a singer and songwriter from Wales, was the opening act. Her set complemented Warpaint's vibe very well as she prepped the audience with dreamy yet coarse music.
The Californian all-girl four piece kicked off the show with “Feeling Alright”, which immediately got everyone on fire and in the zone. Their set incorporated a fair amount of the old and new, with a few crowd favorites and a couple of sick extended jams. A musical journey of one and a half hours, the band took you from the mellow grounds of “Hi” and “Billie Holiday” (which was dominated by the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Theresa Wayman and Emily Kokal) to loosening up and dancing to bass heavy songs like “Disco//Very”, “Bees” and “Elephants”.
Comparing to the first time I saw them, I noticed that the band has definitely matured and gained more confidence (not to say they weren't, but the set felt more solid). I think the biggest change I saw was the mere fact that Theresa spent more time dancing than being strapped to her guitar since the new songs didn't require two guitars, which is great because now she gets to connect with the audience more.
While Warpaint’s recent self-titled release felt disappointing, their live performance brought new appreciation to the album by giving it an extra energy that the release sorely needed. The band’s creative progression shows that this group is one of those few gems who deserve their well earned hype. Simply put, Warpaint delivered.
