Tue, 04/03/2007 - 9:45am

Once again, Dick Valentine and his band folk have brought exciting dance music back to DC. Saturday night’s performance at the Black Cat was expectedly energetic and fun as the Electric Six pumped out audience favorites such as “Improper Dancing”, “Fire at the Disco” and probably their most infamous song of all “Gay Bar”.

The band played a myriad of songs off all their albums, which for those unfamiliar with the band, are in the vain of traditional rock music with antic-lyrics which praise disco, decadence and nuclear war - giving them the semblance of true musicians who justly scorn anyone who takes themselves too seriously. As if we forgot where we live, they even give shout-outs to our fearless leader Mr. Bush, who certainly takes too seriously by E6 standards. For those of us who oft the Electric Six at the Black Cat the three or four times a year that they come, Saturday night was a run-of-the-mill-show. Dick Valentine was up to his usual antics – such as push ups on stage (see video- the period of time in the song’s middle-interlude where Dick Valentine disappears from view is due to his doing push ups on the stage). For anyone who may have accidentally found themselves at the show, it may have seemed more subdued than one would think after considering the music. Its always a surprise to see that E6 are, save from some occasional on-stage push-ups, mostly frills-free and for the most part a regular act - a regular act which constantly keeps up the energy for their die-hard fans. E6 knows the importance of keeping their fans happy and entertained. Not ever receiving the critical acclaim and general popularity that most “rock stars” dream of, E6 has seemed determined over the years to fulfill the dream of being moderately famous forever through an intense tour schedule and their ability to be predictably charming and reliability entertaining every time they come into town.

Another offering by E6, which is just as consistent as their shows, is their ability to have fresh opening acts. This tour features Night Kills the Day and Test Your Reflex – both bands gave stellar performances and are sure to be searched for this week when I get a moment alone with my itunes account. If you have never seen the Electric Six live – be sure to follow up with their schedule and check them out the next time they are in town. And, if you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to E6 yet, and a talented band with a great sense of humor sounds like something you would enjoy, might I suggest giving them a listen.

For more information on the Electric Six including a tour schedule, please visit http://www.electricsix.com/. For more information about the Black Cat, please visit http://www.blackcatdc.com/

About the author
Yasmin Tasan has been living in Washington, DC since 2001. She studied art history in college and is committed to furthering her understanding of fine art through the exploration of the many unique and interesting shows and exhibits Washington continually offers. When not roaming the halls of a museum you can most likely find her exploring a new or favorite restaurant with friends, running in Rock Creek Park or making a fool of herself at Bikram yoga.

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