Drab Majesty at Neumos 08/26/2019
On Monday night the reverb laden new wave inspired Drab Majesty arrived at Neumos to treat Seattle to their share of the Modern Mirror tour. Backed by supporting acts Body of Light, and Xeno & Oaklander the night was a dream for lovers of dark gothy synth style music.
Body of Light
Opening the night was Body of Light from Tempe, Arizona. A solid Sibling duo, it’s easy to see why this band would be opening for Drab Majesty. The overall sound is very reminiscent of bands like New Order and Depeche Mode. The band had no trouble getting the anxious crowd into a jumpy dance groove. The beats and melodies were infectious and front man Alex Jarson was high energy, getting everyone moving.
Xeno & Oaklander
Next up were analog synth veterans Xeno & Oaklander from Brooklyn, NY. The duo are notorious for being analog synth purists. The wall projection was a view of mad synth scientist Sean McBride’s chaotic modular synth which he expertly commandeered through the entire set. On vocals, Liz Wendelbo had a poised focused approach that commanded attention. The overall sound of this group was a bit more intricate and less accessible than the previous act, but none the less very entertaining.
Drab Majesty
That takes us to the main attraction, Drab Majesty. These songs are so easy to let wash over you, it’s obvious why this band has seen so much success. After a quick soundcheck, the group took the stage in their signature emotionless, ghostly fashion, floating over to their instruments in their shimmering suits and black sunglasses.
The band opened the night with the intro track from their new album “Modern Mirror” this haunting repeating track builds in such a way that I thought i might see someones head explode in the crowd. The combination of dreamy reverb synth and slow steady drum machine beat with the duo’s glittery dream attire was transporting. Where everyone had been in a nightclub before, they were now traveling through space and dimensions and emotions.
Drab played most of the tracks from the new album which was great because they are all good. It’s one of those albums with no bad tracks, so let it roll. The band played for a solid amount of time satisfying listeners. Eventually the trip came to an end and the venue emptied onto Pike street in Capitol Hill where a large crowd was buzzing about the show they were just a part of.
