Asobi Seksu Play Smoke-Filled Show at CMJ

It's difficult to experience the entire effect of a band heavily influenced by the shoegaze genre without going to see them live. Saturday's Asobi Seksu show at the Santos Party House in New York City was a perfect example. The harsh feedback and distortion from the guitars, the echoed drums and crashing cymbals, the trembling bass riffs and glistening synths are tough to replicate in full on a studio album. That's not to say that Asobi Seksu's records aren't a good representation of who they are as a band, but getting the music to actually shake your entire body is impossible when you are just listening to it on an iPod.

Finishing out the last night of this year's CMJ Music Marathon, Asobi Seksu played an explosive set of old favorites and new songs. Bathed in blue light, the band stepped out onstage and went right into 'Strawberries,' off their 2006 album, 'Citrus.' Although it would seem that the heavenly voice of lead singer Yuki Chikudate juxtaposed with the grinding guitars of James Hanna wouldn't work, it ended up having the complete opposite effect, making their shows an entertaining, interesting experience.

The band also played a few cuts off their upcoming album, which will be released next February. While new tracks 'My Baby' and a second one that Chikudate admitted she "forgot the name to," sounded very similar to what they had already been playing, it didn't seem to matter to the majority of the crowd who spent the entire performance dancing, jumping around and, at times, looking completely hypnotized by the pulsating strobe lights that shined through a thin cloud produced by the venue's smoke machine.

Although they played only a half-hour set, Asobi Seksu made the most of it. By the end of the last song, Chikudate triumphantly raised a tambourine in the air while chaotic noise continued to echo throughout the hall. Fans left with their ears ringing, but most would probably admit it was well worth the spectacle.