Everything must come to an end and this past weekend, Deap Vally stopped by Thalia Hall on their grand farewell tour. The duo of guitarist Lindsey Troy and drummer Julie Edwards have been at at it for over a decade, dishing out some incredibly fun rock songs across their discography. I still distinctly remember when I first saw them open for Peaches in 2015 and being absolutely in love with their sound. They've been a staple of my personal rock playlists and while bittersweet, I'm glad I got the chance to see them one last time before they call it quits.
Opening up the night was the absolutely splendid Sloppy Jane. The incredibly interesting project of Haley Dahl is known for her impressive stage presence that is befitting her equally impressive avant rock tracks. Clad in an all blue ensemble, Dahl immediately had the crowd and her band following her every move. Whether she was jumping around the stage, writhing on the floor, crawling out from the back of the stage, rocking out in the middle of the audience, or serenading them top a stool, Dahl was a sight to behold.
During that outing into the crowd for "Where's My Wife", Dahl hollered the question from deep inside, cuing the audience to do the same as she stuck her mic into the faces. The crowd held their own in the call and response, energizing Dahl for even more theatrical moves. Dahl is such a talented musician that its shocking when she admits that talking on stage fills her with anxiety. She clearly is much more conformable belting out these amazing songs and being an absolute bad ass. She ended her time with Thalia hall with a New Years countdown, honoring her favorite holiday and as a way giving anyone who was a little down a new fresh start.
Then it came time to say good by to Deap Vally. I still remember very distinctly seeing them open for peaches years ago at Metro and instantly being hooked by their straightforward rock sound. The pair just had the spitfire way of performing that couldn't be stopped by anyone other than themselves. While this year and tour sees the end of the band it's also a celebration the 10th anniversary of Sistronix, the release of their final album SISTRIONIX 2.0 (which is a re-recording of the their debut in a Deap Vally Verison if you catch their meaning) and just a damn good time. I couldn't think of a better was to say goodby.
Lindsey Troy and Julie Edwards emerged on the stage in boxing robes embolden with DEAP and VALLY respectively. The pair hugged and immediately went to their ends of the stage, ready to ignite the rock and roll fire that was about to blow the devoted crowd's minds. Playing the entirely of the Sistrionix songs as they appear on SISTRIONIX 2.0 , Troy and Edwards as intense as ever as the explosive drums and opening lines of "End of the World" dug deep in to the crowd. "I said there's no time like the present/To open up our hearts and let love shine in" feels like such a perfect way to describe this final run for Deap Vally.
"Baby I Call Hell" followed with its driving guitars and boisterous drums, never letting any moment drifting away from the intensity of their songs. Every song off the excellent debut got it's due, raging as hard as it ever did. Troy's incredibly vocals flowed out of her with unbridled urgency just as Edward thrashing crashed upon her drums.
While the proper set was devoted to Sistrionix, their encore was an ode to select hits from the rest of their oeuvre. while it would have been nice to hear "Put a Spell on You" I was more than satisfied with the final few songs. "Ventilator Blues" and "American Cockroach" wonderfully exemplify the duos strengths." Smile More" stands out as a great defining track for the duo. The song pushes against any preconceived notions of the band, women in music, and being a woman in such a judgmental society as Troy and Edwards just barrel through with self realizations. "And yes, I am a feminist But that isn't why I started doing this" goes the track as it lit up the crowd. If this is goodbye Deap Vally, then it was a blast.
All photos by Julian Ramirez.
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