SHOW FEATURED PART OF DESERT DAZE IN THE CITY SERIES

Following the release of Sit Down For Dinner, the trio’s first album in 9 years, Blonde Redhead launched the album tour in Los Angeles on Thursday night at the Belasco; a venue that could not have been more fitting. Anyone who has ever stepped into the Belasco is abundantly aware of the ornate and cathedral-like interior; gilded and gothic, it would appear to be more suited as the site of a sacrificial offering, but the ceremonial aura of Blonde Redhead’s performance proved to be a righteous and ideal alternative. Everything about the performance felt spiritual; sequin-embroidered tulle banners hung as a triptych surrounding the three, Kazu Makino’s impossibly dynamic cries and scorched whispers, cool darkness beyond what dim stage lights flashed beside muted projections on the walls… dinner was served as sonic fodder. 

The album itself is no less whimsical, instilling a fluttering sense of wonder throughout. Though the latest record feels like it embodies a softer side of the band, they still maintain a signature tension on tracks like “Melody Experiment” and “Kiss Her Kiss Her,” both of which they played, in addition to “Sit Down For Dinner (Parts 1 & 2)” and “Snowman” which strike more like a nylon-coated bounce. The twins, Amedeo and Simone Pace, maintained a stoic grace that supported Makino as she glittered and romped around the stage in a pair of flat, studded white boots that I recognized from a recent photo; a comforting reminder that this wasn’t a dream, Blonde Redhead is back and more delicious than ever. Check out the setlist here!