<\/a>Last week, I had the opportunity to see The Blow<\/a><\/strong> and Love Inks<\/a> <\/strong>at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Although I initially had my doubts about what I presumed would be a sickeningly hip experience, I was pleasantly surprised by the relaxed atmosphere of the venue. The beer was cheap, the acoustics were solid, the crowd was laid back, and the main attractions were pretty great as well.<\/p>\n

The Blow<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Blow is an electro pop duo comprised of Khaela Maricich on vocals and Melissa Dyne on synth and lighting. Songs are catchy, poppy and upbeat, and paired with Maricich\u2019s distinct voice, the music is just about as infectious as anything you will ever hear. Lyrics are quirky, sarcastic and lighthearted. Their newest album, The Blow–<\/em>which came out September 30th– was reportedly written for Lindsay Lohan and is about “someone who is quasi-lesbian and might have gone off the rails.”<\/p>\n

Khaela Maricich stepped on the stage barefoot dressed in all black and sang \u201cYou\u2019re My Light.\u201d It was a subdued performance, without any accompaniment. Then she came to life. She spent the rest of the show dancing around the stage, crouching, convulsing and crowdsurfing into the audience. \u00a0She even freestyled at one point. Melissa Dyne was stationed in the middle of the crowd on a raised platform with her synth and lighting equipment, producing sonic and visual elements that Maricich spontaneously reacted to with voice and movement. For instance, at one point Dyne projected Maricich\u2019s silhouette against the back of the stage and Maricich in turn danced to her silhouette.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of their performance was the palpable tension between Maricich and Dyne. It may have been friendly banter, but it seemed to escalate towards the end of the performance. At one point Maricich attempted to get Dyne to interact with the audience, and when Dyne did not comply Maricich chastised her for being \u201coff-putting and terrifying.\u201d \u00a0By the end of the show Maricich asked the audience if they wanted to hear \u201cParentheses,\u201d which was probably the last song of the night. \u00a0Although the crowd was enthusiastic, Maricich unceremoniously walked off the stage after barely finishing \u201cA Kiss.\u201d After a couple of awkward moments where everyone was processing what had just occurred, it became clear that the show was over and the crowd migrated towards the exit. Were we witnessing the culmination of an onstage lover’s quarrel? Perhaps.<\/p>\n

My favorite aspect of live music is the element of surprise, and The Blow certainly achieved that last night. Overall, with all the crazy dancing and Maricich\u2019s nonsensical musings (my favorite was her rant about the \u201cblackness\u201d of the music hall), Maricich and Dyne were on point.<\/p>\n