See Apes & Androids prove their staying power. - Oh My Rockness

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See Apes & Androids prove their staying power.

January 8, 2008
"Oh My Rockness is writing about Apes & Androids again? Haven't those guys have been around FOREVER? We want the new shit!" Ok, we hear you. But let us explain why this sentiment is sort of silly. Feel free to disagree, but only after you go see them at Mercury Lounge on Saturday, January 19th.

Yes, we first saw Apes & Androids play way back when, during the glorious summer of 2006. (Light years ago, we know! I mean, that was like, even before Vampire Weekend!) After seeing them do their crazy new what-the-hell-is-this "Queen meets Tron" classic-pop-rock-opera thing, the next morning we wrote about how we thought Apes & Androids would soon take over the world (or something to that effect... maybe we said borough).

During that wonderful summer that history will always remember (I have no idea what else happened that season), Apes & Androids very quickly started getting a lot of online attention. During those dog days of July, August and September, they were "hot" as they say. But many months later, it seems that some of that "chit chat" (a cuter term for hype?) has perhaps silenced a bit.

Apparently, some people who were "in love love love!" with this band have moved on to newer pastures. In a way, it's understandable. It's fun to be the first to see, listen to, or write about a new band. The unfortunate by-product of this rush mentality is almost forcing yourself to like a new band every hour, and having little choice but to forget about the band you thought you would die for last Tuesday. Seeking new pastures is all fine and good, but they are still often fields overflowing with manure. Don't mistake this chit chat slow-down as a case of Apes & Androids losing their edge, either.

We've seen this band several times since that first time, and their subsequent performances always seem to be a battle to outdo the one before. It sure is a fun war to watch. When Apes & Androids do a show, they do a "show." Popcorn and goobers should be sold. Yes, their sets are full of catchy, completely original songs that sound like they're from another planet and are nice to dance to. But the cornerstone of their shows has always been an explosion of creativity that makes for a delightful visual feast (what other band drags a big boat on stage, plays a cover of "Thriller" complete with a cast of dancing zombies, or has inflatable monsters breathing down fire from behind the drum kit). They're the rare band that realizes the audience should have something to look at besides guitarists occasionally adjusting their pedals.

The band is better now than they were before, when they were "new." And, of course, the punch-line to all this is that Apes & Androids' show at Mercury Lounge is their record release party, their DEBUT record release party.

Apes & Androids haven't been around forever. Actually, this band has yet to even begin.

BUY TICKETS TO THIS SHOW!


Apes and Androids play Mercury Lounge, on Saturday, January 19th.

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