Last night, Nov. 18, 2014, Julian Casablancas and his new band The Voidz came to Chicago as part of their Tyranny Tour, in support of the new album that gave the tour its namesake.
The setting was the iconic Vic Theatre, with Shabazz Palaces and Cult Records reps Cerebral Ballzy as openers. Cerebral Ballzy kicked off the show with their modern Punk sound that feels like a punch right in the face from the very first riff strummed to the last thumping of their drums. Shabazz Palaces were next up, bringing to the venue their weird, experimental Electronic/R&B/Hip Hop hybrid music. The vibe at The Vic really changed with their appearance, as their mesh of digital sounds with live instrumentation was a drastic change to the mosh-quality music C. Ballzy plays. Nonetheless, seeing two guys juggle between digital and analog instruments while blending these different genres together was interesting to see, plus their better tunes weren’t half bad.
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When it was time for the main event, JC and The Voidz put on a show worthy of the 7-hour waits in line (as JC himself pointed out halfway through the show) that some fans endured to secure their spot in the front row. The set list was very much focused on the material by the new band, Casablancas performing with the kind of fury that first turned him into a Rock hero with The Strokes.
The Tyranny material is JC’s Post-Punk adventure, the gritty side of one of the last remaining Rock Gods that we hadn’t seen in almost a decade. All night Casablancas sung into a heavily distorted mic, bringing full-circle the right-of-center approach that his latest side project has taken. “Where No Eagles Fly” was a brilliant example of the greater side of JC and The Voidz’s Tyranny, and along with songs like “Xerox” and “Business Dog,” this showcased the essence of this anti-mainstream project. Playing these songs live was an excellent way for Jules and company to bring to life the fury of this creative endeavor.
The band even played some Strokes “covers,” as Casablancas called them, including a particularly great rendition of First Impressions of Earth’s “Ize Of The World.” The most heart-warming moment of the night came when Julian re-appeared for the encore to perform the fan favorite B-side “I’ll Try Anything Once.” Without much lighting at all, JC on the mic and the hundreds in the crowd singing along to his every word was a perfect snap shot of just how charismatic he is as a frontman, and it was a beautiful moment that any fan of his can treasure and remember for years to come.
Photography by Oscar Oliva, Jr.
