Revolution In The Shadows: Desaparecidos took on Union Transfer

Desaperacidos | Photo by Kate McCann | flickr.com/photos/126156760@N07

It was obvious most of last night’s crowd at Union Transfer came to see Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, and not post-hardcore screams from the performer, but the audience lit up for Desaparecidos anyway. Landon Hedges took center stage, in an attempt to take Oberst out of the spotlight, despite his lead vocals on most of the songs off of Payola, their new LP. Even after 13-years passing since Read Music/Speak Spanish, fans still new every word to scream along with Oberst and Hedges and were happy to sing along with new songs “The Left is Right” and “Radicalized.”

Opening the show, zip-tied signage read “Street tested- Harlem approved,” as Band Droidz entered the stage. The  Harlem punk rock band played songs against gun violence and racism, to begin a politically charged night of music.

The crowd was timid to sing along with them, as well as So So Glos; both bands asked for audience participation in their songs of revolution, but the crowd found peace inInternet smack-talking instead. The So So Glos are a Brooklyn-based band is comprised of brothers Alex and Ryan Levine, and three other friends they call their “dysfunctional family.”

There was a missed opportunity for fans of Desaparecidos to jibe with both opening acts; whose songs ignited the same political spark as the headliners. Perhaps some of the teenage girls (and I was one) who still swoon over I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, will take another listen to “Old Soul Song (For the New World Order),” and find it analogous to much of Payola.