I wasn’t expecting the mosh pit elbow lashings. I definitely wasn’t expecting the crowd surfing. Damn, was I gonna get pictures? Was that new jacket I just threw on the floor going to be ravaged by the crowd’s frantic stomp? Was I about to collapse from exhaustion right before this late set started? Turned out I couldn’t have cared less: for thirty-five minutes Friday night, I remembered why I’m an incorrigible concert junkie. We yelled and screamed. We pushed and pulled. We collectively tore the roof off the Knit. Want one of this year’s most raucous indie rock shows? Go see Love Is All.
The mania that this band induces is culled somewhere in transmission. There’s frantic power in its lo-fi drum and bass pulse. Its dramatic, anthemic chants. Its smattering of kitschy cowbell, scathing sax, and the heavily reverbed vocal yelps of my newly crowned indie rock princess, Josephine Olausson.
And though these songs possess hooks that are as buoyant as they are terse, I didn’t expect this sort of group delirium. Mouthing, sans mic, “You are the best crowd ever,” vocalist-guitarist Nicholas Sparding was slack-jawed. I told people before the show: “These are songs you need to hear.” I’ll amend: These are songs you need to hear live. Though I’m a hopeless convert of LIA’s madcap pop, I retreated wondering whether it was the band or crowd that moved me more. The solution is simple: I’m going to see them again. You should too.
SETLIST
Talk Talk Talk
Ageing Had Never Been His Friend
Used Goods
Spinning and Scratching
Felt Tip
Busy Doing Nothing
NYA (??)
Make Out Fall Out Make Up
New Song
??
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Maybe the best show I’ve seen all year.
were there any graphic designers in the audience? and if yes, did they give random opinions?
They should see if they can get an endorsement deal from Red Stripe. (“It’s Indie Rock. HOORAY INDIE ROCK”)
i love what i’ve heard of LIA. i can’t believe i didn’t go, sounds like it was a sick show!
Do me a favor and go check out this new site.
http://www.daytrotter.com
-There’s an interview with Meredith Palmer from The Office.
-Week long feature of the band Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.
-Concert review of P.O.S., Dessa, Sims, and Mac Lethal
-Awesome comic strip called Thing Part.
-Band of Horses new cd review.
-Interview with Merge Records’ Destroyer.
-Also, Tuesday-Friday, totally exclusive songs from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin for you to download.
she’s cuuute. must’ve been fun! i love mosh pits for bands with lead singers. they’re funny. so…did your jacket ruined?
bands with *girl* lead singers
Holy shit.
This show was amazing, it felt like it was 6 minutes long though.
Maybe it was the 8 Sparks I drank beforehand.
i cant believe i missed this show, glad to read the review. party.
Another review @ http://www.merryswankster.com
They rocked the donkey’s ass at SXSW, as did Asobi Sesku a couple of bands before them.
cool band, cool show, cool review.
nice cowbell shot too.
Good show. Really fun. Best of the year? Only if I didn’t leave my apartment for the first three months of 2006.
http://www.risingstarkaraoke.com/monday_test.html
I dunno – I’ve left my apartment a lot in the last 3 months – and I’d say it was one of the best shows of the year so far. Although Animal Collective the night before was pretty great too.
these guys seem to be creating quite a stir…anyone go to check them out at Warsaw?
jacket is in tact! i saw someone put it at josephine’s feet on stage two songs in. a perfect crowd, no?
Love Is All at the Knitting Factory was the most fun I’ve had at a show all year. I’d say it was on my top ten list of best shows of all time. They are really charismatic peformers. Who couldn’t love a band who looks like they are having as much fun playing their songs as their fans are listening to them. Plus, I love a band that doesn’t take themselves to seriously. Josephine Olausson didn’t stop smiling the entire time. I love that!
Are the myspace dates on their page all they’re doing for now? I was pretty upset that I had to miss this.
Phew! A new post! Seeing that naked statue everytime I clicked on my Stereogum bookmark was really creepin me out.
Any clue who the first opening band was? They were kinda fun. Cause Co-Motion was great too.
I saw the band at SXSW. It was probably my worst gig (I saw about forty bands.) Only country bands were worse. I don’t know, maybe they were in a very very very bad day.