You Say Party! We Say Die!

Speakeasy, Thursday, March 18

After a brief hiatus, Vancouver dance-punk quintet YSP!WSD! released its third LP, XXXX, in February, the bulk of which was represented during this Thursday night set. Newly emerged from a five-year ban from the United States, thanks to bassist Stephen O’Shea’s liberties with the truth at the border while on tour in 2006, the group had a small but enthusiastic audience in attendance and started off with the slow-building tension of “There Is XXXX (Within My Heart).” Becky Ninkovic possesses a keen sense of drama, clad in a beautiful ivory vintage evening gown cut up to just below the booty; for this, she should be tried for crimes against vintage, but the lady certainly knows how to keep all eyes on her (her Karen O-esque vocals and theatrics don’t hurt, either). Sadly, at the end of the night, YSP!WSD! broke the cardinal rule of a headliner: Don’t be less interesting than your wardrobe.

This article appears in March 26 • 2010.

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