Le Loup @ Pianos - 17 October 2007

Maybe it's just easier on everyone if we start keeping a key on the side of the site that lists band attributes I gravitate towards. So far, we would have >2G!, which of course refers to a band with more than two guitarists, and maybe :0 :0 :0, which I suppose could indicate vocal harmonies of at least three distinct parts.

Le Loup, a seven-piece hailing from Washington D.C., has both of these characteristics in spades and flaunted them for an uncharacteristically-packed-for-1:30pm-house at Pianos yesterday as part of a Brooklyn Vegan Day Party (I only found out afterwards that they were giving out free bloody marys, which could explain part of the bottlenecking you vultures). However, I suppose the strongest characteristic that pervaded their too-brief set was in their similarities to a certain Canadian band with a basketball-dunking front-man. Now, I'm not so sure if that particular characteristic would make it onto my super-special side panel legend but hey, that's just me. In fact, there seems to be a whole cadre of bands popping up - from the Annuals to NYC's own Ravens and Chimes - that all channel the dramatic, revival-tent vibe of the Arcade Fire and I honestly dig them all.

And that's certainly NOT to reduce Le Loup to a simple and lazy comparison, because there was much more to their sound than that label suggests. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by them and the sheer size and gravitas of their sound. My advice is to go see them before they start hitting the bigger clubs in this fair borough. Oops, too late, one of their next shows is at Bowery.

See Le Loup Live - CMJ Dates:
18 October - Knitting Factory Main Space
20 October - Bowery Ballroom

Listen:
"We Are Gods! We Are Wolves!"

Photo of Le Loup from HERE.

Visit Le Loup on MySpace.