Following a performance by Sun Ra Arkestra, one of Lightning Bolt's acknowledged influences, band members Brian Chippendale and Brian Gibson set up their equipment on the floor of the venue - a staple of the bands "guerilla gigs" in which fans surround the band members, essentially sharing the show's stage.
The two Brian's set up their equipment in a style that is seemingly chaotic; amps were precariously stacked, reaching towards the night sky. After the band had setup, drummer Chippendale adorned a familiar ornate colorful piece of fabric worn as a mask - another detail of Lightning Bolt's show designed to heighten the experience of the bands live performance.
Lightning Bolt: Live Performance
Amplifiers set to stun, (or at least cause a faint ring in your ears), Lightning cast the first stone and fans quickly followed suit. Brian Gibson (bass guitar) established the rhythm, you know the drill: heavy distortion, heavy feedback, and played through a slew of effects pedals.
Brian Chippendale gently tinkered with some cymbals before breaking out in a frenetic onslaught of drums. Fans convulsed and pulsated in rhythm with the bands' set; sometimes swaying and sometimes appearing like a collectively aimless gyrating swarm of flesh.
Lightning Bolt Set List
The band played a balanced mixture of new and old material, picking tracks from their previous studio albums as well as tracks from their anticipated 5th release, entitled Earthly Delights, due in stores on October 13th, 2009.
The band's new material sounded fresh, yet incorporated Lightning Bolt's distinct style. New songs appeared to have more structure, songs droned on and steadily built to something of a crescendo, gaining intensity and momentum as the lengthier tracks played out.
One of the nights' standout performances was from Hypermagic Mountain's explosive "Megaghost." The song, which flirts with heavy metal influences, is as explosive and dynamic as Lightning Bolt comes. The song serves as a good sample of a variety of techniques frequently employed by the duo: beginning with Brian Chippendale's eerie vocals, sang through a telephone receiver (hidden under Chippendale's mask) and layered with additional sound effects. Followed by an explosion of drums, the song rips through for six minutes with several different and distinguishing parts segments
Avid fans got what they came to see, an enduring one-hour set (with sparse downtime for tuning and setup) that sounded and felt something like a musical fireworks display. When the performance ended, the sweaty and exhausted crowd dispersed looking like they got exactly what they were looking for.
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