Albums
After the Balls Drop (Live In NYC)
2008
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 2008
By David Raposa
Reviewed May 1, 2008
Not many live experiences top seeing Les Savy Fav, and the band tried to capture and house its unhinged stage madness on this digital-only release.
There aren't many frontmen in music nowadays that would strip down to a speedo and jump into a teeming mass of 20,000 fans with a Slip 'n Slide. It's that sort of kamizake bravado that makes Les Savy Fav such a fantastic live act. Seeing that sort of derring-do come from someone like Tim Harrington-- tall, bald, and paunchy-- makes the spectacle even more amazing. Harrington stalks the stage like a crazed hobo, hanging from any fixtures and pipes within reach, working the crowd like he's equal parts punk-rock provocateur and motivational messiah. And all the while, as unsuspecting audience members are smothered in his sweaty embrace, the band goes about their business in a professional, kick-ass manner. Not many live experiences available top seeing Les Savy Fav. Unfortunately, the things that make their live show so great are the same things that make releasing a Les Savy Fav live album a dodgy proposition. That said, manages to make the most of these potential shortcomings, offering listeners a charming, warts-and-all portrait of the group.