When there would usually be raucous cheering and applause, there was only tepid clapping and general bewilderment after 45 minutes of Protomartyr’s post-punk onslaught of sound.
When bassist Scott Davidson yelled “Go Packers,” there was almost no reaction to what would usually yield loud cheers at a Madison show. This reaction, however, was not at all a product of a disappointing performance at the Frequency Sunday night, but rather an intense one with an icy, aggressive sound that left the crowd comatose.
Hailing from Detroit, the band played a unique version of post-punk which included rapid-fire riffing and Joe Casey’s detached, talk-yell brand of vocals. Combined with the airtight percussion, this made for a highly energized and in-your-face set.
While Protomartyr’s instrumentation was interesting in itself, the thing that really set Protomartyr apart was Casey’s vocals. It took a few songs for him to really hit his stride, but when it did, it was a sight to behold. Dressed in formalwear — dress pants, button-up shirt, suit coat and dress shoes — Casey kept a PBR tall boy (of which he brought three to the stage) in his hand at all times.
The other hand was typically in Casey’s pocket or used to hold the mic stand above the ground. There was an element of detachment and stiffness that made Casey a sort of anti-rock star. Despite the absence of typical rock antics, Casey still demanded the center of attention. Between his chilly stage demeanor and flatly-toned yelling vocals, it was hard to keep eyes off of what was the main attraction.
Protomartyr played almost all of the songs off their newest release, The Agent Intellect, but also peppered the set with some older material. Interestingly enough, the songs that came through the best in the live setting were all from The Agent Intellect. “Pontiac 87,” “Cowards Starve” and set closer “Why Does It Shake” sounded great and featured a lot of energy.
There was an element of Protomartyr’s live show that felt laser-like in the mount of focused intensity. The percussion, guitar and bass — all of which were powerful in their own right — fused in a certain way that made the multiple degrees more potent.
This fusion must be what contributed to the stunned feeling in the crowd. While the band on the surface appeared to be just a typical four-piece rock band, it became clear that the band was capable of creating and controlling a feeling all their own.
Before playing the final song, Casey earnestly said that this show was the last one of a long tour and they were happy to be able to play it in Madison. They played “Why Does It Shake” and promptly left the stage.
A few seconds later, the soundboard guy played a song on the loudspeakers which quickly and effortlessly broke the stunned, punk vibe of the venue — a radio-friendly Cage the Elephant song.
While not the best walking out music when you’re feeling like a punk, hearing such a poppy song so soon after experiencing a Protomartyr show really put into perspective how masterful the band is at creating a certain feeling with their music.
