THE PRESETS + Walter Meego @ Cabaret Juste Pour Rire

By Raeanne Pollard - The Siamese Libertines - 06/01/2008

Upon entering the Cabaret Juste Pour Rire for the concert, I was greeted by electro fanaticism -- the kind that only bands like The Presets can conjure up within their fans.  Although we were initially a small group of only 8 or 9, I could sense that within that small smattering of people, the energizing excitement of the night was building up.  Each of us exhibiting our giddiness in our own way, we were all excited to watch the Presets do what they do best, which is to rock small environments.  After the doors opened and the venue started filling up, I noticed the extremely broad range of fans’ styles and ages: one androgynous ecstasy-induced dancer, sleeveless PVC-vested alpha males, ‘80s fashion rocking queens and flowerchild Goths. It was truly surreal to look at but matched completely the sounds of both of the albums of the band. 

The opener, Walter Meego put on an interesting live show. Unlike the cover of their latest album, all three members of WM were dressed down in almost comical ways. A little bit of grunge, a little bit of Euro-style and all practical in comfort, this ended up reflecting their live show better than any overly contrived concept. Hailing from Chicago, they brought a working man’s electro in unstoppable progression. Pop-y, and full of gadgets and a unique set up incorporating small amps piped in separately, the melody was still the overriding focus of the band’s best songs, live or on the album. Seeing them in person is the best way to take them in, as I was pleasantly surprised by the warmth and fullness of the live show over the album. They switched positions and instruments with each other, offering diversity and the same unique blend that brought all of us here to view the headliner. 

When The Presets hit the stage, the energy immediately shifted to high gear. They had a very strong stage presence and they created spaces to express themselves individually. Kim Moyes, the drummer, climbed mountains with his ability to recreate the hardest of electronic drum beats acoustically, while singer Julian Hamilton, used his crazy movements and sexy voice to enthrall all observers. At times, they reminded me of Death from Above 1979 if DFA had chosen to embrace electro more than the disco/punk that they became known for. 

With heavy climaxes and simplistic sounds, they created a conversion therapy for anyone that was there without knowing the studio albums. The audience shot up with extreme enthusiasm when “Are you the One?” started up but the audience seemed eager to take whatever bone The Presets threw their way. Overall, The Presets satisfied one’s quirky-beat tooth and made a follower of not only myself but my guest who hadn’t really listened to them before -- and I’ve always felt if a band was able to convert you live instead of through hype or production, then they are truly a worthy watch. Check them out.

Tune in to The Siamese Libertines with Raeanne every Thursday  from 8pm – 10pm