|
Words by Don Niven :: Images by Valerie Levinsohn
Particle :: 04.14 :: Abbey Pub :: Chicago, IL & 04.15 :: Magic Stick :: Detroit, MI
Particle :: 04.14 :: Chicago |
The buzz is always pretty similar just before Particle hits the stage these days, with most of the crowd wondering what to expect from the new Particle, "Version 2.0" some call it. The same was true in mid-April at the Abbey Pub, with an early arriving crowd packing the floor as Particle took on the Windy City for the first time with two guitars. The band was right on top of each other on the pub's tiny stage but wasted no time blasting into perennial Chi-Town opener "Triple Threat." It was clear right off the bat that they could still deliver the same high energy that Particle People have come to expect. New guitarists Scott Metzger and Ben Combe ripped through it like old pros, trading licks like they've been playing together for years, sending the crowd into an early orbit. Before they could come down, the band tore into "Smile" and then "Walking By," two new songs with lyrics written by Metzger and Combe. At first, some of the crowd seemed surprised to hear them sing, but they got over it fast, especially during "Walking By" when Particle veered from live-tronica juggernaut into full-fledged jam band territory. The highlight of the set had to be the classic "Ed & Molly." It's just as intense as always but with more depth and texture. The second guitar frees up the rest of the band, allowing a bit more exploration, often leading Steve Molitz on the keys into very interesting and often psychedelic territory.
Steve Molitz - Particle :: 04.14 :: Chicago |
Set II was dominated by covers, like opener "The Battle Without Honor or Humanity" from the Kill Bill soundtrack and the closer, an amped-up version of Beck's "E-Pro," now with vocals! But the best cover of the night was a Spiritualized cover called "I Think I'm In Love." It's a very cool jam with great vocals, and it sounded like it could be a Particle original. The set was rounded out with staples "Kneeknocker" and a really raucous "Metropolis" that got the house hoppin'. The show ended with yet another cover, the Chemical Brothers dance groove "Denmark," which sent the crowd bouncing home convinced that Particle is back and better than ever!
Chicago was good, but the next night there was a bit of "magic" in the air at Detroit's Magic Stick. Starting off with an opener usually reserved for mid-show, an insanely hypnotic "Eye of the Storm" built up steam and then came to a beautiful calm before charging back up and whirling the faithful into a frenzy that had the floor literally bouncing like a trampoline. With a rare day off the next day, the band seemed determined to leave everything on the stage that night, and the "Storm" laid the path for what could only be described as an ambitious set list.
Darren Pujalet - Particle :: 04.15 :: Detroit, MI |
They followed it up with the debut of a new cover, Cymande's "Bra." (No worries, Bra!) It's a funky little jam featuring Ben on vocals and some sweet guitar trade-offs. Up next was "Roads a Breeze (@3am)," a standout Steve song made even better by the newfound patience. They play it together now instead of playing follow the leader, and it sounds great. Follow that with two more new songs, "Sons and Daughters," a chilled-out jammy sing-along, and "It's So Hard (Believe Me)," probably the darkest Particle tune ever, featuring a sinister Metzger mad scientist cackle via toy megaphone near the end. The best was saved for last though, as they broke into a set-closing "Simulator" that brought more old school electronic sound to the table than any song to this point, again having more patience at key times, slowing it down and letting a groove form naturally. It was an incredible end to an inspired set.
Scott Metzger - Particle
04.15 :: Detroit, MI |
The second round started with bassist Eric Gould and drummer Darren Pujalet at the helm of Radiohead's "National Anthem." Gould steers the ship while D-Ron throttles it forward. Metzger's haunting vocals add a whole new dimension, resulting in a chilling rendition that might have even made Thom Yorke smile, but this set belonged to the "Golden Gator." Wrapped around Dee-Lite's "Groove is in the Heart" and a patented Steve Molitz "Vocoder/beat-box jam," it's a twenty-seven minute package that showcased the potential of Particle in its new form - shredding, jamming, funk, and sweet grooves building into high-energy explosions of sound! More than anything though, it looked like the band was having the time of their lives, and it came through in the music. This is what Particle is all about!
After the "Gator," just about anything would have kept the crowd moving, but two songs later when they blasted into "The Elevator," the whole room was lifted to another level, dancing so hard the floor felt like it would crash into the bowling alley below. This monster set also included new crowd favorite, "Ghetto Queen" and Gould singing on the new "Folds of Time." The set was capped with a soulful "Sun Mar 11" that gave the sweaty masses a chance to cool off a bit before throwing it down to the super jam "Walking By." When it ended, the crowd was left crying out for more, and some thought that this may have been the best show of the new Particle era. The band turned a corner that weekend, and at this rate, it won't be long before they reach their ultimate destination.
To hear the "Gator" > "Vocoder" > "Groove Is In The Heart" > "Gator" referenced above just click here.
JamBase | Midwest
Go See Live Music!
|
