[Photos by Andrew Parks; slideshow here]
While we may never appreciate the identity crises that plague/propel Intimacy–the first Bloc Party full-length with noticeable growing pains–self-titled still isn’t tired of the band’s shows. Maybe that’s because the British quartet never seems to leave the road, seemingly sticking around from a slew of buzz-stoking showcases at SXSW (in 2005!) right on through to the endless cycle of mid-sized clubs that has kept them busy for the past year.
Yeah, that’s it. You see, there’s level of professionalism in Bloc Party performances, one that’s lacking in such emergent lo-fi-or-die acts as Wavves and Vivian Girls. It makes us root for them; makes us hope they’ll move onto arenas soon. Because “Banquet,” “Hunting For Witches” and “Like Eating Glass” are goddamn good–songs we’ll actually remember a decade from now, when we’re old and still listening to the post-punk LPs Bloc Party borrowed from in the first place …
