Btw, before I get going with my write-up, if you’d like to hear my 1st Bloc Party Interview from Sep08 (@Virgin Festival), you can find it here.
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Otherwise, here is Interview #2 (or click here if that link doesn’t work…) , pics, and gig review from March 2009. Some questions are follow-ups to our discussions in the 1st interview, but there’s a whole bunch of new questions too. Enjoy!

Btw, during this interview I reference a BP video on Imeem (where they’re wearing blankets). If you’d like a great laugh, it’s here — just give it a minute, it’ll load automatically.

L-R: Matt (drums),Gord (bass)..and who’s that mystery girl?

Bloc Party played Bronson Centre Tuesday night. If you’re young at heart enough, you remember when it used to be Immaculata High School for Girls (in fact, on the taxi ride over, the lebenese (descent) taxi driver never stopped talking about how much fun it used to be to go to dances there (“so many girls”), and how it was the “ONE time guys didnt have to ask the girls to dance!” ahhh those catholic gurlszzz

but i digress… The Show started with a bang and EV e ry one was on their feet and pretty much never sat down from then on. The lights were super, the sound was great.. you could see the sound n light guys had serious boards, toured with the band and knew the tracks inside/out and when to do what. great timing (except for one song near the beginning when the sound pettered out but otherwise..for a 900 seat auditorium it was great)

The place was packed and while it was clear not everyone knew words to alot of songs, you could tell they were familiar with the songs enough to appreciate coming & hearing them live. And when hits came on (banquet, modern love, disappear for clay, the prayer) everyone really lit up and cheered.

Bloc party themselves were ‘on’ from the get-go. I find it usually takes a band at least a song or two to find their rhythm..(did i spell that right? damn annoying word) anyways.. this was def. not the case for the lead Kele Okereke who looked like he was performing for a festival crowd with how much he gave, and Matt Tong (drummer) is always a rather (relatively speaking) implicated and ‘present’ band member (as compared often to other bands when you leave a show and you dont even remember what the drummer looked like.. o. was he there or did they have a monkey fill-in? who knows..and everyone keeps walking..) but Matt is not like that. By show’s end he’s chatted with Kele, given a strong performance, kept the band on track, and done his trademark off-with-the-shirt. you can tell Matt loves to dance by just how over-reactive/enthusiastic he is to drumming…

Russell Lissack guitarist is an ususual dude. the most quiet ‘background’ guitarist i can remember he’s overshadowed by the bassist (even tho at times even Kele is guitaring).. Russell’s trademark is his piece of hair that falls over one side of his face but cause he always hangs his head down you never see anything but the top of his head. (call me Russell you really need a new ‘do. seriously. time’s up. time to change) it’d be nice if he looked up and acknowledged the crowd more but i think he’s having an intimate night with his guit. and when the band invited all GA’s, like 20-30 of em up on stage to their utter delight, they all mingled around/between Kele-Gord-Matt’s kit. Russ was off to the side in his chord world. but that’s ok, i forgive him cause it’s due to him and Kele that BP even exist (they met at a Festie years ago and decided to form a band after)

Gordon Moakes bassist is a nice lad, as they’d say. dont know much what to say about gordie cept he’s a more engaging (crowd wise) bassist than most and …wasn’t he hot in all those clothes with the lights?? even me, always getting cold thought to myself man, it must be suu per hot up there..

so the best part of the night or one of, had to be when fans got to go onstage for several minutes and literally hang out with kele et al while he sang the Prayer. at the chorus he put the mic out for several to sing along. super smart marketing boys! and the funniest was while everyone else up there is dancing and just enjoying it, dead center was one girl taking pics of her friends in the audience! (i thought: what a great idea…never get THAT angle again) and then you see her get out of sorts cause you/she realizes ..what the FUCK am i doo-inngg taking pictures of my friends when freakin Kele is 2 feet away from me..so she turns 180 holds her cam out in front of her and starts taking pics of her and him behind her (this is when i got wee bit jealous!) and then she’s motioning her dancing friend..get OHver here get Over here..and get in the damn pics with me & Kele. i had to laugh. the whole spectacle reminded me of a Flaming lips show minus furry animals. well done boys.

music wise (yeah yeah i’m gettin there) Signs was done but too soft for venue music, 7:18 was well done as was Clay, Banquet is always good to hear live – this was the 9th song and when the crowd started (finally, at Kele’s request) to hoot holler …think he said something about us being polite or quiet.. hey man, we’re Cdn! oh geez i sound like some stupid beer ad

anywayz.. they also played Where is Home, Ion square, mercury. At mercury he freaks everyone out by stepping off stage going bout 7? rows deep into the crowd, walking thru them and singing.. good thing for dreads cause that’s the only way i cld follow where he was! Kele was great at engaging everyone ..get some water MF! he yells out at one point

halo, price of gas, flux, miracle, and more they played… a good review of their 3 cds.

…and of course they played Modern Love. one of if not my fav. and apparantly, listening to the crowd when it started, one of theirs too (i hate being so musically average ARGH!) but spade is a spade. what can i say, it’s a great song.. and had to miss it when they played it at Virgin past Sept in Toronto cause i was running off to the other side of Toronto Island to do an interview and i remember going man! i’m missing Mod Love live. this sucks!
…so retribution at last.

More Artist Interviews with Tara O.