Not my favorite venue due to the sometimes-impossible sightlines coupled with NYC’s newest show going giants who nefariously appear directly in front of you. It’s always when you break your gaze away from the stage for a moment to survey the amount of people in the room or to  look at the bands guitar rig. Poof, right in front of you from out of nowhere. You’re suddenly staring at shoulders of some guy talking loudly to their friends on a cell phone between pulls at their beer. Ugh.

But really, when did me being 5′ 11″ become short? I mean, I wouldn’t mind if I head an “excuse me” or if these kids had the manners to know not to stand in front of someone shorter than you.

So, my girlfriend Courtney and I got to the show about an hour after doors and the opener Dosh were just starting to play. Dosh has been characterized mostly as experimental and electronic-based due to the use of many samplers and loops with the rhythmic feel of much of his music, with songs often relying on Dosh alone on keyboards, xylophone, and drums. Martin Dosh also doubles as part of Andrew Bird’s touring band so that had me piqued on what he’d be doing solo. Dosh was something like Tortoise and earlier Trans Am krautrock. It was good stuff. I’ll have to admit it that it did get a bit too repetitive for my taste after awhile. Perhaps it was the overuse of saxophone – I’’ve always had a personal vendetta against that instrument at times. Maybe i’ll like them on record better?

Next up was The Notwist. They hit the stage and plowed through their blistering electronic pop set comprised mostly of songs off their new record, The Devil, You + Me. I know a lot of people didn’t expect Notwist to be a “live” band and expected two or three dudes with a sampler and a drum machine. What they got instead was far beyond their expectations. At one point of the set I noticed Keyboardist Martin Gretschmann (aka Console) was using two Nintendo Wii-motes to control his rig. Me being the game nerd was obviously stoked to see this. He even utilized what I believe to be an iPhone in one song as well. Double stoked. Singer/Guitarist Markus Acher cooed into the microphone as he jarred his guitar. I must mention the insanity, which is Andi Haberi’s drumming. He simply shredded.  So bloggers be damned – They are worthy of any and all hype. And – They need to play around here again, with a quickness.