The promise of bad weather did not deter an enthusiastic crowd from tromping out in the slush to see San Francisco’s Young Prisms and Sweden’s Radio Dept play at The Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday.
However the weather did take its toll on Young Prisms, who had to endure a 6-hour drive from Philadelphia to get to the city. The tough travel didn’t impact their set, though. They rocked out their psychadelic angel sound (shoegaze) that by turns evoked Best Coast (playing at Music Hall of Williamsburg the following night) without the beach and My Bloody Valentine with more melody. Their bassist cranked it up for their ear crushing last song which was more about the driving bass and shredded guitar riffs than the ethereal vocals (nothing more than wailing really), so much so that the lead vocalist abandoned her post and pulled her microphone to the guitar amp for greater wall of sound impact.
Young Prisms are currently touring in support of its debut full-length, Friends For Now, released earlier this month on Kanine Records. They also have a few 7” splits for sale.
Radio Dept’s dream pop was quite a departure from Young Prisms’ sound assault. They played a tight set to a crowd going wild screaming out songs and “I love you!” “We love you too,” said Radio Dept’s vocalist, but not enough for an encore. Instituting the incremental stage departure trick for their final song, each took their leave of the stage until no one was left. The crowd began their shouts of “One more song! One more song!” But to no avail. The lights came on. The show was over.
Photos by Shanda Boyett. Copyright 2011
