Matching the beer that had spilled into a sticky stage mirror, Warmduscher’s long-awaited New York debut was a distorted puddle of splashy vibrations and flashing lights, stamped with bubbly grime like the foam footprints tracing the band’s rapid paths. The slick hopped-up hits of London’s beloved party music purveyors not only packed Baby’s All Right with hyperactive fans; it was like a dancing babe convention abruptly convened in the center of the pit. Brooklyn went all out thrashing and crowdsurfing for the underground supergroup, who were coolly dressed alike in mechanic coveralls bearing “WD”s. Warmduscher were as amped up as their songs demand when they cooked up their crispy yet viscous sound, presenting an everything-you-could-want, twenty-three-song set, the last three of which were an encore of rarities. Crazed smiles and wide eyes sparkled like glitter in the glow of those recycled ashtray lights as Brooklyn absorbed each edgy thrill. Some kind of sonic elasticity yanked the band’s tumultuous bangers around the room; the beats rebounded like newly-inflated bike tires and the guitar licks snapped like stretched rubber bands.
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
The Warmduscher guys were hanging around their merch table before the show and even treating fans to drinks at the bar, surreally making the experience feel like a spur-of-the-moment party instead of a preplanned ticketed event. And the backyard bash mix that is their discography is right in line with that celebratory atmosphere. Bassist Ben Romans Hopcraft described it well when P&W sat down with the band for an illuminating talk before the show (interview coming soon). “The first early gigs of Warmduscher were just so fucking hectic that we used to try to call it jazz, just to get away with how hectic it was. I usually say ‘party music,’” he laughed, staying true to their roots, since Warmduscher began as an impromptu band for a house party back in 2014. “I just say ‘party music’ now because it kind of sounds like disco a bit, and punk, and a bit of funk, and a bit of pop. To me, it just makes you ultimately want to go out and enjoy yourself.” Much later that night, it was abundantly clear how much Brooklyn’s sweatiest and moshiest were enjoying themselves, fighting for either the closest or the safest spots within the crowded confines. Being the second to last show in Warmduscher’s U.S. run, one got the vibe that they had, at some point backstage perhaps, collectively agreed upon making it a wild night.
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Seemingly adopting the freaky personas of their aliases, each crucial contributor slipped into a perceptible groove within their respective layer. Surging beneath the feverish delivery of soul-slinging frontman Clams Baker Jr. (“Craig Louis Higgins Jr.”/“Mutado Pintado”), the thick-yet-quick bass lines of Ben Romans Hopcraft (“Mr. Salt Fingers” – also of Insecure Men) were precisely aligned with the gnarly guitar work of Adam Harmer (“Quicksand” – also of Fat White Family). Anchoring it all in another realm altogether, the insanely tight drumming of Bleu Ottis (“Bleucifer”) was seasoned with whipping zips of synth from Marley Mackey. Clams’ booming voice evoked a circus ringmaster between songs when he revved up the audience or reacted to their antics. “That’s right, New York,” he said affirmingly. “Sometimes you’ve got to lose control to show those motherfuckers what you’ve gotta own. That’s right! Sometimes, we’re gonna push back, like right now.”
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
The live cuts were even more serrated than the studio versions we know and love. Starting rager “Big Wilma” earned full-volume “no-no-no!”s from their devotees, nearly as loud as the “OI!”s kicked up by “Whale City.” An especially muscle-moving “Midnight Dipper” hit like frothy sips of espresso. “Twitchin’ in the Kitchen” was delightfully frenetic and “1000 Whispers” was a bluesy dreamscape. “Disco Peanuts” was a trip akin to playing arcade games with kaleidoscope glasses and illicit residue on the joystick. The communal adrenaline was intoxicating by the time they landed on pre-encore closer “I Got Friends,” and Clams was having a blast with those lyrics, which boast a sketchy network of clutch contacts (“I know a man that can make you disappear in seven different countries” among them). “Thank you all so much,” said Clams in a sentimental tone that shifted when he overheard a request. “Show us your what?” he asked with a funny shocked expression. “Tits!” the girl repeated. “Tits? No! You, young lady. You,” he joked with laughter before digging into their savage encore.
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Holding out the mic to capture our slew of slurred singalong efforts, Clams kept ensuring that the bruisers within reach were inextricably part of the action. He was all smiles when he eventually joined the club and dove into the deep end of the moshy whirlpool, drifting around the small space just under the ceiling. He made a triumphant return to the stage in a snow angel pose over suddenly-gentle hands. His smooth voyage in such a rowdy environment should make it clear to the band how revered they are in this local scene. “This is a wonderful debut in New York City for us! It’s got a special space in my heart,” said Clams, who spent years living in Chelsea. “I cut my teeth [here] with all my old friends…all my new friends. Newww Yorrrk fuckin’ City! I know it’s Brooklyn, but I’m always home in New York City, wherever the fuck I’m at.”
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher
Warmduscher setlist
Warmduscher’s Brooklyn Setlist
“Big Wilma”
“The Salamander”
“Hot Shot”
“Whale City”
“Midnight Dipper”
“Wild Flowers”
“Twitchin’ in the Kitchen”
“Five Star Rated”
“Love Strong”
“1000 Whispers”
“Lady Eggs”
“Eight Minute Machine”
“Disco Peanuts”
“Burner”
“Tainted Lunch”
“Double Vision”
“Fill It, Don’t Spill It”
“Fatso”
“Standing on the Corner”
“I Got Friends”
Encore:
“Oscar Wilde”
“Uncle Sleepover”
“The Sweet Smell of Florida”
Article: Olivia Isenhart
Photos: Shayne Hanley
