Blonde Redhead Put on Atmospheric Light Show in Chicago

At Chicago's Vic Theatre on Friday night, New Yorkers Blonde Redhead integrated both shadows and lights onstage to convey their deeply moody songs. Hitting the road after a three-year absence, the band performed several songs from their latest album, 'Penny Sparkle,' intermingled with their rockier, earlier roots.

Petite lead singer Kazu Makino came out wearing a strange mask that covered most of her face except for her mouth. As she shared haunting vocal duties with guitarist Amedeo Pace on new song 'Black Guitar,' what appeared to be candles but were in fact light bulbs flickered in the dim light as umbrella-like shells glowed on the backdrop. With a lighting scheme that transformed from purple haze to shadows to strobes, the band's performance resembled a pagan ritual.

After playing mellow newbies 'Here Sometimes,' 'Love or Prison' and 'Will There Be Stars,' the tempo picked up on 'Dr. Strangeluv' from their previous endeavor, '23.' Keeping with the clandestine theme, the band didn't say much except to thank the audience for coming to see them. It wasn't until Blonde Redhead played two in row from '23,' the titular track and 'Spring and by Summer Fall,' that they received the biggest applause. Bathed in yellow lights, Makino danced in place on '23' and the crowd woke up from their sedate state to move their heads and sway their bodies during the latter. On an amped-up version of 'Spring,' strobes incessantly flashed, light bulbs continued to radiate and the instruments expelled discordant sounds.

The band came back for a three-song encore including 'Not Getting There' and the reverb heavy 'Melody of Certain Three' from 'Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons' which ended with Makino and Pace pummeling their instruments. Even though the song contrasted their ethereal offerings from the beginning of the set, the band closed out the night with the slower-paced 'Penny Sparkle.' Makino placed her grotesque mask back on her face and sang the lovely ballad against chimes, tribal drums and soft orange lights that made the stage look like it was on fire.