Art Brut 'Nag,' Spinto Band Harmonize with Kazoos

It Happened Last Night

Art Brut 'Nag,' Spinto Band Harmonize with Kazoos

BROOKLYN, NY: Greenpoint's Warsaw hosted sets by Art Brut, Spinto Band, and Tokyo Police Club.

By Spin Staff 10.19.06 3:00 AM

Last night found Warsaw, the kitschy music hall in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that doubles as a Polish National Home, brimming with both its trademark Eastern European hospitality and maniacally loud enthusiasm from deviously cheeky Art Brut, quirky rockers Spinto Band, and upstarts Tokyo Police Club. Opening act Tokyo Police Club upped their post-hardcore sound with a set of roughly-hewn synth effects, atonal chanting, spacey guitar layers, and one alarmingly intense tambourine player. The Spinto Band delivered their pop-rock songs, which they complemented with kazoos, geeky charisma, and Beatles-esque head bopping. And headliners Art Brut were infectious from start to finish. Singer/poet laureate Eddie Argos baited the audience with improvised rhymes and pseudo-Rodin poses, and the rapid delivery of their new songs, including new tune "Nag Nag Nag Nag," was joyfully silly but also technically excellent. STORY BY STACEY K. ANDERSON. PHOTOS BY ERIC NOWELS

We asked: Which of the bands playing tonight do you think is the most artistic? COMMENT

Name: Greg Alsop
Age: 21
Hometown: Newmarket, Ontario
Occupation: Drummer, Tokyo Police Club
"Both have merits and write songs true to the pop art form…Yeah, we're the opening band, so I shouldn't piss anyone off."

Name: Rachel Hawa
Age: 21
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Real estate agent
"Tokyo Police Club are generally more thoughtful and their chord progressions aren't as simple. Their music is more complex."

Name: Sheryl Witlen
Age: 25
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Executive assistant
"Art Brut do so many nonprofit shows that as artists, they have been more thoughtful. Tokyo Police Club have a sound that will take them farther."

Name: Misha Bittleston
Age: 30
Hometown: Brighton, UK
Occupation: Artist
"Spinto Band don't sound complex but their songs aren't very linear and have interesting bits throughout, not just at the chorus or intro."

Name: Joe Hobson
Age: 20
Hometown: Landenberg, PA
Occupation: Guitarist, Spinto Band
"I know Art Brut's material best -- we've been on tour with them for a month. I really like Eddie's words to 'Nag Nag Nag Nag.'"

Name: Nina O'Brien
Age: 28
Hometown: Scarsdale, NY
Occupation: Professor
"Spinto band were great -- I couldn't stop smiling! They're not afraid to have fun. They're jaunty, like a hat."

Name: Jasper Future
Age: 25
Hometown: Bournemouth, UK
Occupation: Guitarist, Art Brut
"Spinto Band have a certain je ne sais quoi. Yes, I'm a very elegant man. Their unison is hypnotic -- what more can you ask for?"

Name: Shannon Curtis
Age: 19
Hometown: Norfolk, VA
Occupation: Student
"Art Brut incorporate more artistic elements like spoken word and acting. They mention Matisse, and who else does that?"