The Brunettes @ Johnny Brenda's

The Brunettes
@ Johnny Brenda’s
9/03/09
www.lilchiefrecords.com/brunettes/index.html

Tragedy strikes under the mirror ball at Johnny Brenda’s… but then again, how fucking twee is that? After nearly two years New Zealand indie pop duo, The Brunettes, returned to the City of Brotherly Love with their best live band yet to play to at least five times the crowd of their last visit. Unfortunately, the performance was under less than loveable conditions. As they should’ve been taken the stage, Jonathan Bree (the masculine portion of the duo) found himself stomping through the venue in search of a lost amp that was never to be found. In a best-case-scenario, the group may have powered on with their borrowed amp and dazzled the crowd with a set of their chicly infectious tunes and earned back the money necessary for a new amp through the sale of nearly half a dozen splendid releases only available in America by way of their merch table. That, however, is not quite what happened.

Bree remained rattled throughout the band’s much abbreviated set, groaning about the luck of the above-average number of camera phones documenting the below-average set. Unfortunately, band’s most impressive work, from 2007’s Structure & Cosmetics, such as space pop anthem “Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth” and “Stereo (Mono Mono),” which borders on the brilliance of Reed and Cale, were absent that evening. Would-be classics like “Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks” and “Polyester Meets Acetate” came off just as delightfully as ever, although the rest of the set was phoned-in like a frantic 911 call. Izzy Cihak