Sleigh Bells at Terminal 5

Last night, Sleigh Bells performed at Terminal 5. I arrived at 8:30, getting a second wristband to add to the one I got previously at a happy hour in midtown. The guy checking bags searched my bag and told me I could not bring my Beats headphones in.

“Nah, I’m just fucking with you, ha ha,” he said.

Not funny.

There were two opening acts. One was bad and one was worse. The first opening act (couldn’t catch the name) consisted of 3 guys, the lead singer, an overweight angry guy, trying to get his aggression out on the audience. What did we ever do to you? Why are you punishing us? Clearly he had a lot of pent up hostility, probably from all the women who have broken his heart in the past. The band wanted so badly to be heavy rock, however, if your drummer is wearing a Ralph Lauren pastel yellow and green polo, it kind of kills that vibe.

After the initial crappy band, Black Bananas came out. This band, two guys and a girl, like Sleigh Bells, attempted to blow our minds with their edgy sound. Now, whoever this girl was (the lead singer), she was a Janis Joplin, Grace Slick wannabe. She was drunk out of her mind and trying to make it look cool. Let me tell you something, you have to be pretty up there on the rock God scale to get away with sucking at a performance because you’re wasted. This bitch is nowhere near there.

Black Bananas, in short, was awful. There was no theme or consistency to their music. No pattern. Every song, I was like “what the fuck is this?” It was a gumbo of obnoxious noise, drunken slurring and too much electronic editing. I spent part of their set in the bathroom, making a to-do list for next week, trying to be as far away from the stage as possible. At the end of their performance, the ego-driven female stormed off the stage without a word. Thank god—smartest thing she did all night.

Sleigh Bells came on stage around 10:30. Alexis Krauss, the lead singer, was incredible. She owned the stage. I could not tell you anything about the two guitarists with her but I could tell you every detail of Krauss’s performance—she stole the show and demanded my attention. Walking on stage with a black leather jacket, pink tank top, ripped jeans shorts and tights, she was all any woman rocker should be.

They played a bunch of their hits: “A/B Machines,” “Tell Em,” and of course “Riot Rhythm” and “Kids.” They played some new stuff, including the downloadable single, ‘Comeback Kid” off of their upcoming album, Reign of Terror, being released this coming Tuesday.

One thing that set Sleigh Bells apart from some other acts I have seen is their new songs were just as compelling as their stuff that I knew. I didn’t get disappointed when Krauss announced, “this is a new song.” I was excited to hear it! Their new album will be worth it!

The audience was totally smitten with Sleigh Bells. Everyone was dancing, jumping and screaming, as Krauss kept demanding we all dance with her. Well, she made it easy. Hearing “Riot Rhythm” and “Kids” live was pretty amazing. They did not sound exactly like it did on the album and I loved that. I am pretty sure all their songs that they performed were better live than on their album, and often it is the opposite—some bands can’t cut it live. Their sound is awesome to rock out to, and to dance to. It was a stellar performance.

Reign of Terror, February 21st . . .