Deerhoof's performance at Mercy Lounge last Thursday proved me wrong in thinking they were just another obscure indie group. Their good nature and sense of humor carried through the show after the crowd's initial callout, "Deerhoof! Deerhoof! Hoof! Hoof! Hoof!"
Guitarist Ed Rodriguez rocked all over the stage while Greg Saunier enhanced the sound with the rhythmic beat of his drums. John Dietrich, joining Rodriguez on guitar, added a calm but intense feel to the music. The dramatic power of their instruments was equaled by Satomi Matsuzaki's childlike voice and appealing quirkiness.
Matsuzaki jumped on top of the giant speakers, held her guitar just out of the crowd's reach, and playfully used a giant lion head prop to amuse the audience. Matsuzaki even invited a fan to improvise dance moves on stage, while Deerhoof followed with music.
Listeners revealed they are unfazed by Deerhoof's changing band members. Their musical quality has remained the same, and none of the present members plan on leaving any time soon. A quick review of the group's official Web site tells of Deerhoof's standing popularity in both the United States and overseas in Europe.
Though Deerhoof writes its own music in English, Japanese and Spanish, it sometimes creates vocal noises in place of words.
"The pleasure of their music comes more from their sound than their lyrics," said one fan. "Depending on the song, either her voice or their instruments are more valuable to the ear." This is what sets Deerhoof apart from other groups labeled as "art rock." Fans find it difficult to describe the sound, as it blends pop, rock and electric all at once.
Though Deerhoof released "Offend Maggie" in October 2008, the consensus among fans is that their best album is still 2007's "Friend Opportunity." One fan stated, "The difference is that ‘Offend Maggie' has more of a jazzy feel to it. ‘Friend Opportunity' was experimental, although not as much as their earlier albums." The show featured newer songs such as "The Tears and Music of Love" and "Chandelier Searchlight" as well as older tracks like "The Perfect Me" and "Twin Killers."
At the end of the show, Saunier spoke out with the group's closing commentary: "We wanted to extend our thanks to someone else, and that ‘someone' is not actually one person. It's a group of people you can meet later, who are kind of standing all around you nearby. It's the audience. Thanks for making this so fun." I'm sure I'm not the only one that wishes I could have thanked Deerhoof for making my night.
