by Donte Kirby
OOIOO and Buffalo Stance bring their unique sounds to Johnny Brenda’s on Monday night and took the crowd on an eclectic sonic journey.
Buffalo Stance kicked off the night. The four piece from Philadelphia was clad in all black with photo luminescent tape on their shirts designed to look like roads. The band’s sound was off kilter and fun, filled with odd time signatures and wonky keyboard tunes that invoked the spirit of a kid playing with toys. They played songs from an album to be released in the fall. Their last release was Sugar Glider back in 2009.
The band had the packed floor of Johnny Brenda’s moving along with their experimental rhythms and were met with appreciative applause at the end of their set.
Japanese six piece OOIOO in white garb tapped into the spirit of the crowd with their performance and had them hypnotized with the poly-rhythms from the first chord. There was no language barrier to speak of. What you couldn’t understand, you could feel. Two ornately designed gamelans sat in the middle of the stage, along with OOIOO clothing, the show had a tribal feel.
OOIOO latest album Gamel was the majority of what was played that evening. The crowd was enthralled from the beginning to the end showcasing their love with raucous applause. I saw more than a few leave with OOIOO records in hand.
A warning to all those who seek to get in to OOIOO or Buffalo Stance, they are not an easy listen for those unfamiliar with the experimental. They can be easy to dislike or checkout on for those not going in with an open mind and open ears. But for those who like their music eccentric with a little challenge, OIOO and Buffalo Stance might be the bands for you.
