#lavola

Respectable Street’s 30th Anniversary Block Party The renowned venue puts together a night of chaotic good that’s as memorable as it was ambitious

West Palm Beach, FL-30th birthdays are deal of celebration. You aren’t a child anymore, nor are you quite an adult yet. You’re 30th years are interesting in the way that everything puberty seemed to have stored up and everything that waits in maturity clash with each other in a gladiator type prize fight that leads to irrevocably regrettable choices, memorable nights, drunken antics, good music and unforgettable new loves. All of which perfectly describes West Palm Beach venue Respectable Street in their 30th year of establishment. And like every good third decade celebration, the annual block party held in the venue’s name which takes up remarkably the entire Eastern end of Clematis Street, it was filled with a type of chaotic good that only the city of West Palm Beach could have successfully pulled off.

The scope of the festival was at an expanse this year, with Respectable’s having another new venue at their disposal, newly debuted Lost Weekend. A veritable man cave on the lower level with pool tables, a jukebox using traditional records with impressive choices, old school arcade games and a bar, it’s upstairs at Voltaire that holds all the mystique. The venue/loft feels like something transported out of 1980’s France or London, wirh it’s avant garde red light and curtains dripping from the ceiling as a projector plays muted clips from Kubrick films over the bands, and somehow inexplicably amidst all this there is a sushi bar, resulting in an atmosphere that feels like something from a deleted scene of “Twin Peaks”. On that high bar, Voltaire could have easily boasted all the most interesting and eclectic of new  sounds, opening with Symbols. A trio reminiscent of early New Order, along with the newfound innocence that came with their debut. Symbols have good potential, with wonderfully sculpted synth lines and a guitarist boasting a fantastic swagger but the band are still in the first infancy steps. Which doesn’t mean they should be looked over, but rather, kept in the Rolodex under to be definitely revisited.

As you walk out amidst the tents set up on the streets, even the grandest of occasions can stick with the safe bets. The main local crowd drawers and karaoke parties that the venue is primarily known for, alongside it’s theme nights. But ambition is synonymous with risk, and it’s for this that the organizers need to be commended on, as well as the careful theming of each band’s strengths.

From Voltaire to coffee shop Subculture’s alleyway venue underneath a power transformer that wasn’t just dangerous by design, but almost symbolic as fresh out of box acts played with a spark, one of the best not just to that stage but throughout the festival being Narvee of Deerfield Beach. Influenced by 90’s and 80’s shoegaze, the band consisting of Cristian Del Real, and brothers Ian and Peyton Leggoe exude professionalism that was not only refreshing but powerful. “We try to not copy or do the same chord changes.” Del Real said. “And the key to the writing, is really be as original as you can but write riffs that give you that orgasmic feeling.” The feeling isn’t lost, as the songs were well crafted off the bat for a new band. Upon the crowd asking for one more track, the band ripped into a Suicidal Tendencies cover that was nigh incredible, and produced an insatiable itch to mosh as well as for more.

That level of ambition kept throughout the festival, even entering into the main event hall, housing hometown heroes, such as Lavola and newcomers AnastasiaMax the latter of which carries with them the electricity of The White Stripes fresh out of Detroit adding to an equally impressive factor that the act are only 14 and 18 years old. Out on the patio, a New York style ethos was in the air, amidst the familiar scent of stale beer and patronage heat were the more relaxed of the bands, those that were here to please and incite good times, such as Skoros which I was disappointed to have missed.

The pitfall with having such a large festival ok a single street becomes the usual technical glitches tend to increase thricefold. In the distance, buildings on the other side of the street flickered on and off to keep up with the demand from the party over the train tracks while sound engineers scrambled to regulate every band rotation, leading to delays and sadly a confusion which bands were playing where. At one point, there came a time where you were forced to give up on checking the clock and schedule and just wander, in the truest form of festival fashion which led to hidden gems such as Boxwood which due to the time constraint were now given prime-time slots. The Fort Lauderdale native was one of the stars of the night, sculpting entire soundscapes upstairs in Voltaire against Jack Nicholson’s eerie stares in “The Shining”. Armed with a guitar, drum pad and a daunting pedal board setup, Josh Ferrer was a master at looping, perfectly integrating each riff as well as vocals. Starting barebones with just a drum beat and buiding a kingdom from it, was an incredible view and to those that caught it, was one of the highlights of the night.

And amidst the other acts of the night, from rapper Yung Tarzan to psychadelic meets Booker T in The Herns, time finally arrived for the main act of the night She Wants Revenge. It should at this point be said that West Palm Beach’s unofficial motto should be this: When all else fails, persevere. Which is something that unfortunately didn’t escape the incomparable group, the start of the set briefly hindered due to technical glitches. Despite this, the band not only remained professional throughout but treated the audience to a full and well balanced set spanning their discography, opening with 2007’s “Written In Blood” to crowd favorites such as “These Things” and “Out of Control”.

She Wants Revenge is an interesting enigma, emerging from the 00’s scene of rock renaissance, the primary duo consisting of frontman Justin Warfield and multi-instrumentalist Adam Bravin, who ventured into the territory acts such as Cold Cave, The War on Drugs and TRUST would later inhabit, before it was even thought of. Brought together by a love of music and influences, each track for a new listener is something of a treasure trove. Listen to track “Rachael” and you’ll find the song is a love letter to the Blade Runner star replicant of the same name. Take a look over at “True Romance” and you’ll hear their Bauhaus influences (who they would later co-headline a tour alongside). This veritable building block of influences is made largely from each of their respective music backgrounds, Bravin being a renowned DJ, garnering attention from everyone such as President Barack Obama to the late Prince, Warfield having a notable rap career, his original debut having the dubious honor of being released on Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records. It’s this chemistry and passion that makes She Wants Revenge so special, a black rose amidst the flower bed of rock acts and one that, despite being featured in American Horror Story and “The Number 23”, still remains a little bit of a hidden treasure. Leading into “Someone Must Get Hurt”, a shimmering and deliciously dark track, Warfield’s Bowie like presence against the rather harsh light setup were still hypnotic matched with the stellar accompaniment of guitarist Thomas Froggart and drummer Scott Ellis, making tracks such as “This is The End” sparkle even further.

As the set continued, schedules in havoc from the aforementioned technical difficulties erupted in a kind of England like fervor, the sweat of the pit mixing with failed drunk antics from a crowd that just wanted to enjoy the band which included cut up pool noodles being thrown into the air and occasionally reaching the stage, a patron falling after a failed crowd surf (which was already attempted three other times), and another trying to get on stage. Through all this, the familiar bells and red lights of the train tracks behind them suddenly sparked to life as “Maybe She’s Right” began, train horn blaring midset as the band turned perplexed at the event, which acted as an impromptu and perfect backdrop for the band, with an atmosphere that couldn’t have been more fitting though. “That’s so fucking cool.” Warfield said following the cameo. “There’s a first time for everything.” Before going into the aforementioned “Rachael”, he added “I just want to say it’s very cool to come to a place for the first time and play for people, you don’t know what you’re going to get. To walk into an outdoor festival in a setting like this and a sea of people who are digging the music, who are singing along, enjoying themselves. It’s just really nice to be here, you guys have been absolutely fantastic.” And as the night began to slips further past the nighttime hours and into that unknown nocturnal realm, Bravin Thanked the crowd for coming out, as well as local bands on the roster alongside the crew, that familiar drum beat gave way to the notorious “Tear You Apart”. As the pit became a gyrating dance floor, you can’t help but think of the outright immensity of it all. The way Respectable Street has always run, similarly perhaps the entire downtown area, has been this: if there’s a slope before the giant gorge of commercialism, if there’s a sliver of a chance to not give into the norm, take it and enjoy the ride. Throughout the venue’s 30 year career which has housed acts anywhere from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Cold Cave, it’s kept this idealogy and despite it’s occasional shortcomings, it’s this motto that’s kept not only them afloat, but the entire Palm Beach County music scene.

With that, the act began packing up as the crowd dispersed, and that odd sense of familiar gratitude from community festivals emerged from the air. It’s the tales and photographs you hear about in your favorite bands biography, those small moments born from red lit clubs or strange alleyways or outside patios where everything and nothing happens. The small moments of celebration and revelry that are irreplaceable as a band, and as a fan. That small moment that you feel for all the punks, weirdos, goths and dancers, this is the haven, the home where you can be yourself, find another or a sound. Because when all else fails, persevere. And, don’t throw pool noodles.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3UBr9otgd0)