Concert Review: The Undoing of David Wright

by Todd Maternowski

Simultaneously reinforcing and shattering the angst-laden gothic stereotypes, the three bands put on an impressively baroque performance that was nothing like the typical live concert.

This past Saturday, the denizens of Denton were treated to a dark and spirited free show at the Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studio, where the goth-inspired Nite Game Cult and The Great Tyrant opened for one of Dallas' most intriguing up-and-coming bands, The Undoing of David Wright. Simultaneously reinforcing and shattering the angst-laden gothic stereotypes, the three bands put on an impressively baroque performance that was nothing like the typical live concert.

To begin with, the Nite Game Cult played to a pitch-black RGRS room (two other local Denton fixtures, Eat Avery's Bones and Fra Pandolf, had gone on while I was still speeding toward Denton along I-35). More of a one-man show than a musical act, the Nite Game Cult would normally seem far more at home in a performance art venue than a live music venue; tonight, though, the Cult fit cozily into the evening's festivities. Bellowing poetry into a microphone to an on-again off-again pre-recorded soundtrack in near-total darkness (punctuated only by a single flashlight held by a fan in the crowd), the Nite Game Cult was far more concerned with creating an avant-garde atmosphere than showcasing musicianship. Combining this ersatz darkness with a good-natured humor and crowd-pleasing banter, the Nite Game Cult was actually a lot more entertaining than they should have been.

The Great Tyrant followed, turning the lights back on but bringing a far heavier and more infernal mood to the surroundings. Frontman/keyboardist Daron Beck uses heavily altered vocal effects to sound like remarkably similar to what Ba'al must sound like in the cavernous abysses of Dis: coupled with oppressive keyboard dissonance and heavy/jazzy bass and drums, the resulting sound is like something lifted straight off the soundtrack to Barbarella II. While The Great Tyrant would make perfect background noise for a Warcraft game or gory Italian horror film, it didn't translate too well live: the band seemed more concerned with getting their unique style technically perfect than playing to the crowd. The vocal effects and overall musical sound of the band are ideal for an extensively produced CD to play in the background while slaying Orcs or reading Lovecraft.

The headlining Undoing of David Wright is almost always described as one of Dallas' best live acts: after witnessing their live show, there is no question they deserve to be the next big thing. Playing a style that can only be described as Brechtian punk cabaret with a jazzy edge, The Undoing of David Wright use some amazingly catchy and danceable songs to get a message of surreal disillusionment and complex emotion across. Guitarist A Train plays a jumpy and energetic set (complete with 70s-style porn mustache); bassist Shingles Tuwear keeps a hyperactive bassline that kept the crowd jumping throughout the set. The centerpiece of the band, however, is lead singer Lars Larsen: like all the best goth punk bands --The Dresden Dolls, Christian Death and The Real Tuesday Weld are great examples-- the need for a charismatic frontman is absolutely essential. Lars Larsen has definately got the goods: a strong, distinctive voice and solid stage presence seperate him from the rest of the lead singer pack. While he avoided the gimmicky stageshows that he's been known for (some involving fake blood), Lars and the band brought the crowd solidly into their set, using cathartic dancing to create an animated and enjoyable spectacle. While the poorly-ventilated RGRS did seem to sap some of the band's energy towards the end (there's nothing like having acidic smoke burning your eyes for two and a half hours), The Undoing of David Wright is definately one live act not to be missed, a band that seems to explode off the confines of the stage and connect to their audience in a way few bands can.