Foxygen played Desert Daze, announce NYC show at Rough Trade
A few minutes in, everyone in the band held one finger in the sky as the drummer kicked the bass drum. The crowd was energized and whistling, howling, and clapping as they awaited what the band would do next. I thought, “Is this a political statement? A protest? What are they doing?” This went on for several minutes and it eventually became clear that Foxygen wasn’t starting the show or making a point. They were just trying to tell the sound operator to turn up the bass drum. Thirty minutes later, the set began… Watching Sam France twirl, dance, and sing is always interesting. Every performance is a bit different. You can never quite tell if he is serious or having a laugh. Sometimes he would attack a song like it sounded on the album, other times like it was a Broadway musical numbers. One moment he is buttoned down and serious, the next euphorically unhinged. It is like watching Mick Jagger perform after he saw James Brown the first time and decided to throw a little Johnny Rotten in for good measure. By the time the set was over, there had been a costume change and a huge medley. Say what you will about their performances, but Foxygen is rarely boring. – [Grimy Goods]
Foxygen are back in action, having released a sprawling new single called “America,” and played Desert Daze in Joshua Tree this month. As for what’s next for the band, who is to say, except they’ve just announced an NYC show at Rough Trade on December 1. That’s a much more intimate show than their last NYC appearances. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday, October 28 at noon. It’s currently Foxygen’s only upcoming show.
