TV on the Radio- Pabst Theater 3/24/15

photo by Sara Bill Photography

Brooklyn-based eclectic rock outfit, TV on the Radio, made a triumphant return to the Pabst Theater for their first show in Milwaukee since 2011.  This time they were touring on behalf of their strong 2014 release Seeds. The band was greeted by one of the most packed houses I've ever seen at the Pabst Theater, and the capacity crowd had much to cheer about over the band's hour and fifteen minute set and encore.  TV on the Radio is about as intense a live act as you're likely to find, with musicians pouring their soul into their tunes whether old or new.

As a fan who has followed TV on the Radio since its early days, it is interesting to see how the band as progressed musically.  While the group started off in its very early inception as a duo of Tunde Adebimpe and David Andrew Sitek performing tunes with mainly electronic instrumentation, the modern incarnation of TV on the Radio is a well-oiled touring sextet.  The artists in the band, most of whom have been with group since the early 2000's, are mature, masterful performers who use their craftsmanship to create new layers of timbres in older tunes as evidenced by the set opener, "Young Liars," a track that dates back to the band's inception in 2001-2002.  Likewise, the popular "Golden Age" off of 2008's critically acclaimed, Dear Science was performed with as much zeal and passion as if it were released just last week.

photo by Sara Bill Photography

This level of professionalism is noteworthy for TV on the Radio, who have transcended the level of  a"buzz band" to become a stalwart, strong, and bold ambassador of the modern rock scene-- with a continued willingness to push and challenge  their sound further.

For this reason, the highlights of the set were not necessarily the older tunes that fans were familiar with, but rather some of the newer material from Seeds.    The crowd on all floors of the Pabst rose to their feet to shout out the refrain of the 2014 track "Happy Idiot,"  Other newer numbers like "Trouble," and "Careful You" were also well-received.

The polished act upped their game with riveting performances of "Wolf Like Me," a standout track from 2006's Return to Cookie Mountain, and the final encore, "Staring at the Sun" off of the Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes album from 2004.

Also worth noting in this performance is the seventh member of the band-- the lighting director.  In one of the most visually engaging performances I've seen in some time, each track was choreographed with corresponding lights to add a rich visual texture to the songs.  The only complaint that I had with this show was that they could have played longer, with a resume as deep as theirs.  With that said, I hope it isn't another 4 years before TV on the Radio return to Milwaukee.

Opening for TV on the Radio was Nostalghia, an art-house, electro, avant-garde act, consisting of perplexing vocalist Ciscandra Nostalghia (who made Alanis Morisette's hair in the mid 90's look short), a drummer and a electric cellist.  They played to a polite and receptive crowd.  Their brooding dark music reminded me of a cross between The Faint and Siouxsie and the Banshees, without the catchy melodies.

photo by Sara Bill Photography

Other notes:

• TV on the Radio lead vocalist, Tunde Adepimpe strikes an eerie resemblance to the self-proclaimed Milwaukee Sports Legend, "Freeway," especially with the glasses, although Tunde is way more put together than the sports legend
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• Guitarist David Andrew Sitek has moved away from a straight guitar rig which he played in 2011 and now plays in front of a bonafide "rhythm lab" of sorts with a plethora of digital tools at his disposal.
• Speaking of "rhythm lab," in a brief bit of crowd banter before the encore, Tunde Adepimpe gave a shout out to 88.9 Radio Milwaukee and DJ Tarik Moody for a great interview that they did earlier at the station, stating it was a highlight of the tour.

photo by Pabst/Riverside/Turner Hall