I WAS THERE: Native Korean Rock (Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) @ Union Pool, 7.21.08

Posted on July 21, 2008
Filed Under I Was There, Reviews | 8 Comments

Text/Photos by Andrew Parks

Some requests once Karen O opened her premiere solo performance up to suggestions:

“‘Art Star!’”

“‘Rich!’”

“‘Maps!’”

To which the playful Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman responded, “This isn’t a fucking Yeah Yeah Yeahs show! This is something different!”

Indeed it was—’it’ being the 11:30 p.m. engagement of Karen O’s one-night-only “Native Korean Rock” revue, a collection of love songs coated in strings and a stirring combination of easy chair chords and breezy percussion patterns. While we’re unsure whether or not Monday’s set was pulled from O’s long-awaited solo album, we do know one thing: she’s gone a bit emo (in a good way). And yet, she still has a mesmerizing stage presence, a reminder of why she’s the most important female singer since PJ Harvey and, quite frankly, one of the most important vocalists of our time.

Here’s hoping she has an album ready to be released next week, Reznor and Radiohead style. Oh by the way: Karen’s bandmates, drummer Brian Chase and guitarist Nick Zinner were both in attendance tonight along with a freshly-groomed Kyp Malone. None of the above guested, however. In fact, we’re not sure who any of the Native Korean Rock members are. Got an idea? Let us know after the jump and a series of stage front photos. Speaking of solid shots, check out more reports from the show at The Modern Age and The Music Slut.

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8 Responses to “I WAS THERE: Native Korean Rock (Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) @ Union Pool, 7.21.08”

  1. hooves on the turf » Native Korean Rock played Union Pool on July 22nd, 2008 6:38 am

    [...] self-titled: While we’re unsure whether or not Monday’s set was pulled from O’s long-awaited solo album, [...]

  2. The Modern Age » Blog Archive » Native Korean Rock Says “Ahoy” to Brooklyn, NY: Concert Photos, Gossip, Strokes, White Stripes on July 22nd, 2008 7:46 am

    [...] over at The Music Slut, Self-Titled Magazine These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web [...]

  3. joydivided on July 22nd, 2008 12:03 pm

    “she’s the most important female singer since PJ Harvey.”

    holy hyperbole alert, Batman! :-D

  4. sally on July 22nd, 2008 10:15 pm

    The show was super cool and sweet as a side project. I just really wish that Nick Zinner was the one on guitar! That dude Sam playing guitar wasn’t nearly as cool as Karen O! He couldn’t play that well and he looked old and uncool. Boo.

  5. Twittering For TV on the Radio | self-titled magazine :: s/t daily on July 30th, 2008 2:42 pm

    [...] what’s going on right now, from whether or not the rest of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs showed up to Karen O’s solo show to tonight’s token example of what we hope to do with this little program in the coming [...]

  6. ms. baker on October 21st, 2008 10:37 pm

    The guitarist is that lame dude Sam from the Mooney Suzuki.

  7. Ryan Berekoff on January 25th, 2009 9:05 am

    come to LONDON!!!
    please please please.

  8. S/T Survived ... Sneaking Into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Secret Santos Party House Show, Where We Enjoyed "Art Star" Right Alongside Andy Samberg | self-titled magazine :: s/t daily on April 13th, 2009 10:52 am

    [...] and goofy Cheshire Cat grins—we’ll still take watching a mellow Karen O (see also: our exclusive shots of last year’s Native Korean Rock project) over just about any other It Band of the past [...]

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