Jenny Ganeshrays
When they first take to the stage, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that the attractive ladies of Warpaint are another Au Revoir Simone—an all-girl indie group ready to charm with bright, innocent melodies. Instead, when they plug in and play, the L.A-based psychedelic rock band’s experimental and seemingly inconclusive music recalls the darker, avant-garde improvisations of Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.
And so, the Singaporean indie community had much to cheer about when Warpaint was back in town on Aug 2 for a second haunting, following their well-received opening at St Jerome’s Laneway Festival on Jan 29. Still riding high on critical praise for their debut album, The Fool, the 7-year-old band was ready to headline their first full-length concert here, with a repertoire picked from their debut as well as their EP, Exquisite Corpse.
About 500 Warpaint-heads crammed into the small, smoky Powerhouse @ St James Power Station, with the members of veteran English rock band Suede (who were in town for their concert on Aug 3) also in attendance. Grumbles were heard as the crowd was kept waiting for nearly 30 minutes, but once the grinning quartet finally emerged on-stage, all was forgotten. “Jenny, you are so hot!” one of many rabid female fans cried out in adulation, referring to the band’s spunky bassist, the pink-haired Jenny Lee Lindberg, who obliged with a smile.
With Lindberg occupying central position on stage, flanked by singer-guitarists Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on either side, Warpaint dove straight into their unreleased new single ‘Jubilee’. However, that unfamiliar opening tune didn’t quite succeed in getting the crowd into the groove. It took a few more well-known Warpaint standards, such as ‘Burgundy’ and ‘Composure’, for everyone to loosen up.
Throughout the night, the band kept crowd banter to a minimum, with a rather tired-looking Lindberg simply saying “Thank you guys, that’s so sweet!” after each number. Instead, they fed off each other, exchanging knowing smiles and sharing jokes in between songs.
The incredible dynamism between the 3 guitarists comes as no surprise, considering that they’re firm friends off-stage. Kokal and Wayman, in particular, grew up together in Oregon after becoming inseparable buddies at age 11. In their late teens, they moved to Los Angeles and met Lindberg. Together with Lindberg’s sister, Hollywood actress and A Knight’s Tale starShannyn Sossamon on drums, Warpaint was born. Sossamon later quit the band to focus on acting, and was replaced by Australian-born drummer Stella Mozgawa.
It’s hard not to be lured into Warpaint’s witchery. It was enough to get Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante to mix their Exquisite Corpse EP, and the late Heath Ledger hooked to the band. In the flesh, Warpaint hypnotise. Unleashing ethereal 3-part vocal harmonies, the trio of Kokal, Wayman and Lindberg also relentlessly attack their guitars, pushing the limits of sonic experimentation.
Wayman’s sombre and unusual chords kept things dense and heavy, but unfortunately the venue’s less-than-stellar sound system all but smothered her wispy vocals. Lindberg was completely absorbed in her bass playing, playing it hard, and often with her eyes closed.
However, drummer Mozgawa is truly the band’s core, the person that makes Warpaint work. Her powerful, intuitive drumming anchors the psychedelic meanderings of the 3 guitarists, giving each song a steady, confident pulse. The result? A sound that’s spartan and industrial on the surface, but throbbing with feeling and anticipation beneath.
Their rippling hit, ‘Undertow’, and the mournful ‘Billie Holiday’ were the night’s sing-along favourites. ‘Elephants’ also left the crowd in a stupor, with its breathless build-up, only to descend into a complete and utter free-fall of slow funk. They graciously returned for a 2-song encore, with Kokal’s achingly vulnerable solo rendition of ‘Baby’ unveiling a softer, more delicate facet of Warpaint.
On Warpaint’s 2 appearances here, concert-goer Sonia Pillai, 24, said, “Laneway was fun because of how massive the crowd was, and there was the added thrill that comes with seeing a favourite band for the first time… But the sound was definitely clearer last night, and, of course, being at a solo show brings an intimacy that’s lacking in a festival.”
The 90-minute art-rock trip shuddered to a stop with a furious ‘Beetles’, and the crowd wasn’t happy to let the foursome go. “We’ll be back,” vowed Kokal. Indeed, if anything, it looks like they’re here to stay.
Photos courtesy of Tay Wan Lin, Klix Photography and Aloysius Lim, Chugg Entertainment