RAHIM | Rothko Review

Local favorites Rahim held their record release party at Rothko yesterday. Rahim is Michael Friedrich, Ryan McCoy, and Phil Sutton. I have seen Rahim two other times with just these three core members playing guitar, bass, synth, an extra floor tom, and drums. But at Rothko they brought trumpeters, another percussionist, and backup singers—this was Rahim in full effect. On songs like "Shut Off The Light" when the chorus of galloping drums kicks in, three floor toms were booming in unison as symbols crashed into one another. While the complex percussion, acute vocals, and uneasy melodies of the album might require some digestion, you can’t help being immediately drawn in live. This is how Rahim should be heard, loud and massive. Other highlights included “One At A Time,” “10,000 Horses,” and “It's Not What You Said.” Their album Ideal Lives is out on French Kiss.

Foreign Islands, also from New York, opened for Rahim. This band got some bodies moving with their spastic and noisy dance-rock. Their show is also high energy but a bit more on the edge. The lead singer threw the mic against wall a few times and the bassist blasted off the stage at the end of their set. Foreign Islands gets into it.

Comments

[justin]

wasn't that the friction party, thrown by crackers united? did you catch other passengers or el jezel? heard they're great too.

[Friction : Crackers United]

Glad you enjoyed the show - we had a blast! Make sure to make it out to our next one on May 16th at Rothko!

[nghia]

that dj they had was just awesomely cute! i think his name was justin, part of the Obsessive Compulsive.

[laura]

nice photos!