PHOTOS: The Sounds And Hey Champ
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on May 11, 2009 7:20PM
Sweat dripped from the ceiling at Double Door last Thursday as The Sounds and Hey Champ brought a double-barreled attack of rock and dance to the thronging masses. Hey Champ opened with a set and the band has definitely benefited from their nigh non-stop touring. Folks tend to forget they're a rock band since they've been playing with primarily hip-hop and electronic acts since signing to Lupe Fiasco's label last year, but their time on the road with The Sounds has led them to inject their music with new-found brawn that gives even their dancier tunes a pleasantly gritty edge.
As for The Sounds ... well, it was obviously their show. They bring nothing absolutely new to the game of recycling hard '90s New Wave, but they never allow you to become bored either. Recycling old tropes doesn't bother us one whit if we remain entertained and the band injects new life into familiar ideas, and The Sounds succeeded wildly on both counts. We're looking forward to hearing their new album Crossing The Rubicon when it arrives next month. They may be resurrecting old sounds but Thursday's show proved the band itself hasn't run out off new ideas.