The headliner for day 2 of HOSTESS CLUB WEEKENDER was US five-piece post-punk kings DEERHUNTER, who played a punchy 17-track set to a totally packed hall full of screaming fans.
Their setlist included six tracks from their latest album Monomania, released in May 2013, and a four-track encore. They opened with the melancholic Earthquake, the first track from album Halcyon Digest, before breaking into Neon Junkyard followed by Don’t Cry, gradually building up the energy to their full-fledged rockstar level all the while.
Deerhunter was formed in 2001 by vocalist Bradford Cox and drummer/keyboardist Moses Archuleta. The group has undergone an array of lineup changes in the past 12 years, and currently stands at Cox and Aruchuleta plus Lockett Pundt and Frankie Broyles on guitars and Josh Mckay on bass. Although garnering some attention for their first album Cryptograms, it wasn’t until Deerhunter was signed to 4AD records in 2008 that they really took off internationally. As a result, these guys have now toured worldwide, opening for Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails, and playing at All Tomorrow’s Parties; one curated by Matt Groening, one by the Flaming Lips and in June 2013 they curated one themselves, where they played Cryptograms, Microcastle and Halcyon Digest in their entireties.
Cox is renowned for his flamboyant style, often playing shows in dresses, however this time, he opted for a more ‘mature’ approach – a grandpa suit accompanied by a grey wig and sunglasses, which provided for some pretty entertaining visuals as he energetically leapt and pranced around the stage. The group now has a handful of US dates to play in early 2014 including a supporting slot for the Black Lips on March 7th.