Shout Out Out Out Out rock the body electric. - Oh My Rockness

Rockness Recommends

Shout Out Out Out Out rock the body electric.

February 28, 2007
You've got two chances, two boroughs, and four outs to see one of the more exciting live bands currently making noise. Live, Toronto's Shout Out Out Out Out are the real deal. Their blazing electro antics are "more than meets the eye" (see: vocoder).

Now this is what a live band should be: two drummers, four bass players, two samplers and five synthesizers. Toronto's Shout Out Out Out Out were one of my very fav-fav-fav-favorite bands at last year's CMJ festival. It was amazing to watch the passive crowd perk up and congregate around the stage once these guys began to play. Truthfully, many of the appeared to be there for the free beer (guilty as charged) but in mere minutes after these guys took the stage in their matching baseball caps, the whole place became a sweaty, synthy mess. They just rocked it.

Shout Out Out Out Out may have a long and redundant name, but don't judge a band by its moniker. These six dudes rock exciting and energetic electro pop. They channel all their vocals through a vocoder (I know, I know, but don't judge a band by this criteria either), which reaffirms that before anyone did anything, Cher and the Transformers did everything. Shout Out Out Out Out have a S.O.O.O.O. hard to find record out (until it's inevitably reissued, of course) called Not Saying, Just Saying. It's nice and bouncy, but not nearly as nice and bouncy as seeing them straight from the stage. If you want their electric essence, see them live first before listening to them on disc.

Also playing is 120 Days from Norway (a.k.a. The New Montreal). This solid young band creates gloomy, atmospheric electro-goth-rock. Their somewhat sinister synths and dark drones were haunting enough to get them signed to VICE Records, a very appropriate partnership if only in name alone. Now, I've never been that into bands that cared so much about being creepy... it just seemed to make their music silly more than serious. But I guess if I had to live through Norway's winters, I'd be pretty miserable too, so maybe they're not acting. Thankfully, this band has some pretty good melodies to go along with that misery. Think Joy Division meets Black Heart Procession meets Suicide, um, Corey Hart. Sure, that sounds good...

Toronto's Born Ruffians are also playing the Mercury Lounge show on Saturday, but we've sung their praises enough recently, don't you think?

Shout Out Out Out Out Out Out Out Out Out and 120 Days play Friday, March 9th at Southpaw, and Saturday, March 10th at Mercury Lounge.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!

Get new New York City announcements, free show info, ticket giveaways and more...