Van She @ Midway (CMJ), NYC | pics & SHOW TONIGHT

DOWNLOAD: (MP3s)
Van She – Kelly
Van She – Kelly (Cut Copy Remix)

“Whenever some critic says that 80s revival is over, a band like Van She comes out of no where just to prove them wrong.” [Big Stereo]

I should have been dead by Saturday night (November 4, 2006), but somehow I managed to sneak in a few more shows before going home and sleeping until Sunday afternoon. One of those shows was the Modular Records CMJ showcase at Club Midway. The band was Australia’s Van She who followed their also-good label-mates from California –> The Soft Lightes. At first Van She turned me off with their (slightly outdated?) attempt to look hip & ironic…..

…but then I remembered not to judge a book by its cover (and that they’re from Australia), and I realized that the sweet sounds coming from the stage were quite real. It all worked up to their their last two songs which completely won me over and left me wanting more. My friend and I agreed that the songs would work in a stadium just as well, if not better, than they came across in the dingy basement of Midway.

And ther IS more to be had – of both The Soft Lightes and Van She – TONIGHT (Nov 6) @ Mercury Lounge in NYC. Who knows when they’ll be back in the States again – its just too bad that tonight also offers Voxtrot/Annuals @ Bowery Ballroom AND Cloud Cult @ Knitting Factory.

If you can’t make the show tonight, or even if you can, you can at least watch the YouTube video for “Kelly” (where they also happen to look much more respectable) from the comfort of your own home .

Palms Out Sounds has the MP3 of the “reprise” version of “Kelly”.

And there’s more music streaming at Van She’s MySpace and on their regular website.