Russian Circles, Daughters, Young Widows & La Fin Du Monde

For just one night, Café Coda’s expansive front window resembled that of a butcher shop. Instead of the usual view, sidewalk lurkers were treated to a performance that involved a lot of full-frontal male nudity, a fair amount of sexual gesturing, a fu Manchu mustache and a pair of skinny white ass cheeks clad in women’s booty shorts that read, “BOOTYCAMP” across the back.

But that’s to be expected from Rhode Island’s Daughters — everyone comes away feeling violated in someway, from the “old enough” girls with choppy haircuts and theatrical makeup to the hardened veterans of the Chico show scene. It’s safe to say, if you didn’t come away offended in some small way, you didn’t experience the full-on assault Daughters unleashed on the packed confines of the Coda. Though Daughters played third, it was clear every other band had their work cut out for them.

Locals La Fin Du Monde opened the show promptly at 8 PM. I’ve seen the band twice before, and their intricate musicianship never ceases to amaze me. Each individual member has an incredible amount of talent, and when they come together, it’s nothing short of awe-inspiring. From the jazz-infused drums to the complex guitar parts and elaborate bass lines, La Fin is always on point.



Next was Louisville, KY’s Young Widows. Of the bands on the bill, they were the only one I had yet to hear. Their setup was insane: six bass cabinets, three on either side of the stage — only four were actually used for sound, as the two at each end were used as lights. I was blown away by what I heard: Slow-paced, heavy as eff rock. And roll. The vocals were a little low in the mix, which was slightly distracting because they seem to be integral to the band’s sound when I checked out their MySpace. Not only were they incredible live, but their T-shirt designs were equally impressive.

After Daughters blew everyone away, Russian Circles took the stage. This band has been hyped non-stop for quite some time now, and seeing them live met every expectation I held. The set was littered with long, epic build-ups and blistering feedback, heavy as eff riffage, soul-shattering bass lines and complicated drums. You know you’re witnessing a great instrumental band when you don’t even notice the lack of vocals.

Another great show at Café Coda. Great flatbread pizza and pitchers full of great beer. Some of us saw a little more than we wanted from Daughters, but everyone got their money’s worth.

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