An Evening With Death Grips
July 25, 2015
The Fillmore
Death Grips: Making a mockery of the music business since 2010.
The line for experimental hip-hop group Death Grips stretched well past Imperial Health Spa (which is a full block from The Fillmore) snaking its tail all the way around the corner next to the adjacent Taco Bell and KFC. At 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 — the actual ticketed start time — people were still filing in like mad.
While standing in line, I couldn't help but notice the lack of a tour bus, semi-truck, or even a van with trailer. Instead, a simple nondescript black Mercedes sprinter van was the band's lone vehicle, parked just below the building's outdoor exit staircase.
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Inside there were many football-style chants of “Death Grips,” and loud cheers before the show got underway. It seemed like every time a staff member walked onstage people cheered only to soon realize it wasn't one of the trio but, rather, another false start.
Many in the crowd within earshot thought the group might be canceling (as it has been notorious for in the past). There was a feeling of disbelief in the air — were we actually going to see a proper Death Grips show tonight?
The stage set featured nothing but the band's gear, which consisted of a small kit positioned stage left and a sampler / keyboard near center stage with a lone microphone. There were no extra light trusses, no backdrops, and nothing but The Fillmore's black curtain to cover the wall.
With little fanfare, the band walked onstage around 9:30 p.m. and the lighting changed to red. Both drummer Zach Hill and front man Stefan Burnett (AKA MC Ride) dressed in long sleeve hoodies — but quickly became shirtless. Andy Morin stood behind his keys as the band launched headlong into what would be one of the most ferocious, unrelenting sets in recent memory.
The minute the band started the crowd rushed the stage, practically crushing those who had made their way early enough to get a spot up front. Security had trouble keeping people from spilling over into the walkways on either side and constantly used their flashlights to keep everyone behind the venue's marked floor lines.
It was anthems like the the bass-driven “Takyon (Death Yon)” from Exmilitary (2010) and the frenetic beats of “This Is Violence Now (Don't Get Me Wrong)” from Government Plates (2013) that got the crowd going bonkers.
Watching the ever-so-skinny build of MC Ride gyrate in time with the music was hypnotic and juxtaposed Hill and Morin's chilling, bass heavy sound effects. Even with his rather simple lyric schemes often repeating for effect, his awkward rhymes and hooks incited nearly everyone to bounce and jump in unison.
By the time the group launched into fan favorite “Anne Bonny,” the show's excitement had seemingly reached critical mass. Backed by a wicked, trance-inducing sample and a sonic interplay between the vocals of Burnett and the incessant pounding of Hill, it seemed nothing could top the amount of crowd participation. MC Ride basked in the moment, smiling in approval, as he led nearly half of the attendees to scream along to a repeating refrain that included “fuck kill steal shit.”
Of course, the night wasn't complete without the group playing its biggest numbers, “Guillotine” and “No Love,” and the sweat-soaked lads delivered these musical pipe-bombs with delight. You could hear everyone, including some venue employees, shouting and bobbing their heads as Death Grips gave fans their money's worth and then some.
Critic's Notebook:
— The Money Store. While most bands that play The Fillmore often have credit card machines or even tablets for doing debit transactions, Death Grips offered only one option: cash. The group had five different shirt styles but, as expected, had no music available for sale. Big props for the low $20 price point which ended up meaning lots of merchandise sales.
— While its entirely possible that the mystique and many cancellations of Death Grips has been intentional, fans will never know the real deal. No other band today, though, gets away with as much bullshit and still has fans drooling over its musical output irregardless.
— Kudos to Live Nation for taking on an anti-establishment act and letting them do their shows on their own terms. Odds are, the band will return and hopefully not cancel as it has in the past (insert Nine Inch Nails / Soundgarden tour here). Either way, the $26 price of admission was a small risk for a fan to take.
