Zola Jesus Spreads Electro-Goth Gospel At Schubas

By Jon Graef in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 28, 2010 8:40PM

“Love is amazing.” Of all the words unlikely to be spoken by an artist with a Goth-leaning sensibility, this simple proclamation is probably at the top of the list. And yet, after uttering these words of dedication to a happy couple in attendance Sunday night at Schubas, Zola Jesus (also known by her given name, Nika Roza Danilova) set about convincing another soul that the same notion applies to them: Namely, the unnamed person to whom Jesus’ words of electro-goth conciliation are geared toward on her latest EP, Stridulum. Through a remarkably strong, assured headlining performance, Zola Jesus could have made even the most hardened of romantic skeptics believers.

Conceptually, everything about Zola Jesus’ sound seems destined for ridicule. Lyrically, she’s a goth self-help guru, assuring her subjects to cheer up because “it’s not easy to fall in love, but if you’re lucky you might find someone.” Added to that the fact that her live band consists of not one, not two, but three synthesizers and one drummer, and you have the potential for gauzy, self-indulgent keyboard overkill.

So what made Zola Jesus’ set so great? Two things: First is Danilova herself. Though she’s a diminutive presence on stage, her vocal work is vast and deeply affecting. (Call it the Aguilera corollary: The smaller the singer, the bigger their voice is). Her singing is impassioned and soulful, which helps a great deal in selling lyrics that, on paper, would likely read as being extremely corny, especially on songs like “Trust Me”.

Second, is drummer Nick Johnson, who provided a considerable and crisp rhythmical heft, which in turn grounded some of the more airy and gloomy synthesized textures and made for a compelling sonic juxtaposition. (The fact that Johnson was wearing a t-shirt for influential metal act Hellhammer probably explains a lot, style-wise). His booming toms provided a jolt to the opening of Stridulum stand-out “I Can’t Stand” and, with Danilova’s baring her soul on top of the dense layering of sounds, it resulted in an extremely affecting performance.

Danilova herself said very little on stage, aside from the customary appreciative words to the crowd, but she didn’t have to. Through her half-hour set, Jesus tore through one song after another, mainly from Stridulum and full-length predecessor The Spoils, all the while exuding a quiet confidence while performing in front of clips from cult-movie favorite The Manitou. (An odd, campy touch in an otherwise sincere performance setting).

Though her live show isn’t quite the wall-of-doom-and-gloom-sound that her records are, Jesus ascended to the throne of great concert performances - and did so by emphasizing the most relatable aspects of her pop inclinations: the voice and the drums.

Based on those elements alone, Jesus was able were able to reconfigure their somewhat-cold studio sound into something impassioned and heartfelt. And even if the heartbroken sadster addressed in her songs didn’t see the light at the end of the romantic tunnel, the sizeable audience at Schuba’s will likely make great disciples.

Opening for Jesus (now there’s an odd turn-of-phrase) was Dada Trash Collage, a Minneapolis-duo who, true to their name, combined mixed electronic sounds and loops with an absurdist visual component - like a happy medium between the bouncily melodic work Animal Collective has been doing since Sung Tongs and a less hostile Fuck Buttons. They’re clearly the Twin Cities’ answer to YAWN, and a bill with the two of these bands on it would prove to be compelling indeed.