Black Gold | Jaguar Love | Polysics
Abbey Pub - Chicago, IL
November 9, 2008

It was a scattered and wild night for Chicago’s Abbey Pub. On the bill was upstarts Black Gold, the questionable - unhinged chaos of Jaguar Love and the convulsive, snap-punch new wave of Japan’s Polysics.

When Black Gold took the stage to open for Jaguar Love and Polysics, Eric Ronick - occasional touring keyboardist for Panic at the Disco - appeared  donning a black cut-off t-shirt and a rainbow scarf. It wasn’t exactly an immediate write-off, but “prima donna” was the first idea that came to mind.

Thankfully, initial impressions of Ronick were proven wrong shortly after the band began their set; he exuded a confidence that wasn’t cocky, physically asserting a love for his music, for his band, and for his cause. Unfortunately with young bands, that isn’t always enough to quell the guilty-before-proven-innocent mentality that surrounds the crowd’s preconceptions of an opening act.

Brooklyn’s Black Gold shined some of the time, embodying a surprisingly mature sound that was reminiscent of Smoking Popes at times and Billy Joel at others. The maturity was often lost on the young energetic crowd as poppy hooks gave way to blues riffs and Ronick’s ivory-tickling took center stage. It was difficult to shake the feeling that the pop-sensible riffs were trying too hard to appeal to a mainstream audience when Ronick’s songwriting so obviously has the potential to be rich and unique - exemplified most notably by the final song, which took the energy up a notch just a tad too late.

Inexperience working with fellow band members onstage is often the downfall for opening bands; the comfort level in a band’s ability to work together can be echoed by the crowd’s interest. In this case, Ronick and drummer Than Luu (cited as the band’s only full-time members) worked very well together; the touring members looked awkward and uncomfortable, a picture that proved detrimental to the group’s overall stage presence. A couple more years together and a strong push towards trading the need to be pop for Ronick’s creative freedom could solidify Black Gold as a force to be reckoned with in pop-rock’s near future.

Luckily, Black Gold’s energetic exit proved a perfect transition into Jaguar Love’s whirlwind of screams and keys. On the heels of post-hardcore act The Blood Brothers’ untimely demise, front man Johnny Whitney and guitarist Cody Votolato’s collaboration with former Pretty Girls Make Graves utility musician Jay Clark has spawned a small cult following.

Make no mistake about it; Jaguar Love is Johnny Whitney - strutting out flamboyantly, right hand in a sassy upward twist, “sing-scream-talking” to the crowd about how excited he was to be there. An eccentric and energetic stage presence is bolstered by Whitney’s characteristic post-classic rock screeching. It’s no wonder Whitney has drawn comparisons to Zeppelin’s Robert Plant; he exemplifies the next generation of rock vocals, leading the audience on a journey of eclectic discovery during and between songs.

Although Whitney’s vocals may haunt, the rest of the band did much to prove its art-rock standing, sharing much of the energy and performing near flawlessly. Not all audience members seemed to understand or enjoy Jaguar Love’s unique sound. It wasn’t until the end of the set when the band fired up “Highways of Gold” that the crowd seemed to genuinely reflect the band’s energy. As the finale exploded onward, the crowd jumped up and down in unison, singing along to the lyrics…how they understood them in the first place, will remain an unsolved mystery.

Then the real fireworks began. As the Polysics came on stage brandishing their trademark jumpsuits and sunglasses, electricity surged through the crowd. Constant cheers, arm pumps, and general reverence ensued henceforth. Lead singer Hiro Hayashi ran up to the mic and shouted gleefully, “We are Polysics. We from JAPAAAAN!” and “We so happy. We in CHII-CAGO!” Throughout the night, Hayashi would repeat these phrases, probably due to the fact he couldn’t speak much English..or perhaps because he knew it would consistently fire up the crowd. The band throttled full speed into their trademark new wave guitar blasts, needling synthesizer and pulverizing drums, Hayashi pulling off all the cliche ’80s rockstar poses as he chugged away on his Fender Jaguar. Such irreverence was just what the doctor ordered. Acting as the stiff, straight-faced eye of the storm was keyboard and vocalist Kayo, standing motionless through the entire set with brief interludes of manic head-jerking at particularly wild moments in the set.  The band burned through most of the material on We Ate the Machine and even pulled out a few old favorites for the die-hards. An incendiary performance for an unappreciated group in the States. To see a band so easily connect and enthuse a crowd like the Polysics did that night, should make fellow aspiring musicians rightfully jealous. You Polysics, you from Japaan! Please come again!

photos by Michael Tenzer | all images © pensatos.com
article contributors: Michael Tenzer | Mark Sherbin