Ladytron

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Ladytron: Ladybomb
Berbati's Pan
April 28, 2006

They’ve been to Portland three times, but have never performed. And after watching them, I understand why. Ladytron’s sold out, deflowering performance at Berbati’s Pan on Thursday, April 28, 2006 had the synthesized, electro-beat stylings that Helen and the gang meld so well. I’m satisfied with the music--nothing amazing; just cool to hear it on a loud sound system. Having sat through a less than impressive DJ set at Music Millennium earlier in the evening, and an even more unimpressive, very awkward meet and greet, I was expecting more. More emotion, more passion. More energy. More of a show. So were a lot of people. Just a twitch or nudge. Just pretend to have a good time, or just fake a smile or two. As icy as Helen’s voice, there they stood, Ladytron. They came on, played their set and left. As memorable as an enema, one will forever remember the experience, and hope to never encounter it again.

Maybe it’s what’s they do. They are Ladytron. They fidget with their synthesizers, tinker with the catchy beats set to indecipherable vocals, and have succeeded in creating the anti-pop music sound. Listen to any song on their latest album and your ear has ample amounts of layers to nibble on. Most impressively is lead singer Helen Marnie’s frosty voice. Singing “Soft Power” she wails her haunting empowerment over the audience like fog, while her fellow members punch away at their rightful machines. “Destroy Everything You Touch” contradicts her whispers by unabashedly punching us in the teeth with her sharp, tight, concise vocal presence. She may not smile, and she hardly moves, but damn! That Glasgow girl with the awful haircut can sing.

The band, accompanied by their touring bassist and drummer, garnered in black threads, opened the set with “High Rise.” Red and black images projected from an LCD projector above was visually attractive, but after the first song, became annoying, and was apparently a distraction to Helen and fellow vocalist Mira Aroyo’s eyes. Maybe that’s the purpose; to avoid eye contact with the audience. And if it weren’t for the out of place drummer’s energy and Mira’s pathetic vocal attempts, I would have left. Sadly, if I didn’t have to write this review and didn’t shell out 15 bucks, I would’ve left. The microphone held hostility towards Mira on “Fighting in Built Up Areas,” squealing any chance it had. Even during the monotonous “AMTV,” she was unable to complete the song without technical difficulties piercing our ears. Fortunately, Ladytron throws in multiple layers of synthesized noise, so the non-fans making up half the crowd didn’t even notice.

While the time crawled by during their hour plus set with lackluster energy, not all was a complete bore. I think I saw Helen smile, or at least grin during “He Took Her To a Movie,” which was the highlight of the show. The band honed in on their Korgs for a mini jam session of clashing sounds and electro buzzes that caught the audience’s ear, and produced the loudest applause of the evening, aside from the finale. Although, I’ll assume half the crowd was applauding their completion, as opposed to their efforts.

And while audience interaction and participation are what makes the show an experience, I found it disrespectful that not only did the band not take the time to even play around with the audience, but their lack of energy, and, dare I say, hostility, spilled onto the crowd. The Presets, who opened with loud, dancing, jumping, sweating vigor far surpassed Ladytron in performance, and can equally hold their own in terms of material. I’d pay to see The Presets, and I’d pay to get out of watching Ladytron. The music was acceptable. The songs were indescribably Ladytron. If it wasn’t for the sporadic screeched microphone and tired audience imitating the bored band members, I would’ve had the same effect as sitting on my couch, listening to Witching Hour and looking at pictures of them.

- Justin Saylor
KPSU Editorial Team