09.24.11

TV on the Radio’s second trek through San Diego in support of Nine Types of Light in the calendar year was a much tighter affair than May’s outing at 4th & B. Though the soundman once again had trouble with Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals bleeding into the overall mix, the Greek theater setting of Open Air was far more suited to the Brooklynites’ expansive art rock compositions. An intricate space-themed backdrop catapulted by shifting flourishes of light gave any synesthesia enthusiasts in the stands their money’s worth. The UK’s Arctic Monkeys, backed by some progressive drumming and intuitive riffs, were also crowd-pleasers with their opening act. That being said, the terrace was shockingly desolate and common sense would suggest Live Nation’s hefty fees were to blame. “Repetition” and “Second Song” highlighted a TVOTR set list as diverse as the crowd in attendance. Hipsters and drunkards alike marched down the half-empty concrete steps for a closer view of Adebimpe and Kyp Malone’s symbiotic vocal interplay. The band closed out their performance with the manic energy of “Wolf Like Me,” containing a soulful breakdown that sucked all the energy of the night toward the stage like a vacuum, then emphatically released it back onto the audience with a furious, guitar-driven climax.

Continued…