Scissor Sisters Deliver
by EJMaven on 8/24/10Dar Constitution Hall - WashingtonRating: 4 out of 5I hadn't really checkout out the SS until their "Night Work" album came out and I really got caught up in it so I decided to see them live. I was not disappointed. Seemed to be a great deal of irony having them perform at Constitution Hall--a venue most known for its not letting African-American opera singer Marian Anderson perform there in 1939. How times have changed.
They played almost every track from Night Work along with Take Your Mama, T*ts on the Radio, and a few others that were new to me and ended with "Filthy, Gorgeous." Jake and Ana showed a great deal of energy, to the point where Jake even walked along the edge of the boxes. Constitution Hall has an old-style layout so it isn't really a balcony, but more like a horseshoe mezzanine. I would have preferred it if they had struck a better balance between the guitar/bass (too loud) and the vocals (needed more emphasis). Jake has a good, interesting voice--but not the most powerful one and I think this would have helped highlight his and Ana's skills.
Of course there seemed to be a good deal of interest in the crowd to see how much clothing Jake would take off and he didn't disappoint. While I would recommend them, I would caution them about the direct and indirect sexual content of the majority of their songs--think Prince in his prime. I suggest disposal ear plugs as an option.
DJ Sammy Jo didn't do anything for me--other than time filling background music--but then I'm not into the whole Dance music scene. Casey Spooner was not impressive. He just sang along to pre-recorded tracks (I assume he was a cheap date) with sort of a retro, big band look and swagger. However, he had neither the voice or presence to match.