Two warriors, Wire and Warpaint, squared off on local stages this past weekend, raising a banner for 30 years ago.
Live Wire? The British trio’s sold-out Mohawk gig Friday night hosted three or four times the number of people than its 2002 La Zona Rosa pit, but came off more subdued. Bad sound may have contributed to the lack of electricity, the group mostly sticking to material from its latest, Red Barked Tree, which contrasted humorously with murmurs for Pink Flag through the crowd, Wire’s 1977 debut remaining both a blessing and a curse. I’ve always been partial to the group’s sophomore LP, Chairs Missing.
The new disc is a more subdued affair, and singer-guitarist Colin Newman reflected that with the look of a retired Semiotics professor. The band picked up momentum mid-set, cherry-picking a few “older” tunes. New century, same problems. At least they’re still having a go.
Saturday at La Zona Rosa, Warpaint rose its own pink flag. The L.A. quartet definitely has some Wiry basslines, and the rhythm section is the linchpin. “Bees” and “Composure” sounded as good as they do on 2010 debut The Fool, even with a similar lack of stage presence.
This article appears in April 8 • 2011.