The oddly-named Deadboy and the Elephantmen brought the rock Sunday afternoon to heat-weary Bonnaroo-goers needing a bit of a jam reprieve. Introduced as "a rockin' band," the usual duo appeared as a trio, dropping the hippie vibe in favor of more bluesy, straight forward, garage-style rock'n'roll.
Frontman Dax Riggs and drummer Tessie Brunet were joined by bassist Alex Bergeron for their hour-long set at the That Tent. Eliciting a ferocious roar from the relatively small crowd, they started the set off with the aptly titled "Misadventures of Dope," a possible anthem for the many "smokers" in attendance. Guitar problems also stalled the set early-on leading to a false start to "How Long the Night Was," which elicited humored laughs from the band.
Recovering with full force, as the set progressed, many in attendance moved in closer, even breaking out a beach ball for fan-favorite "Ancient Man" from the band's recently released debut album, We Are Night Sky.
Dax Riggs of Deadboy & the Elephantmen
Photo by Cat Norman
But, despite the extra stage presence, the duo still easily drew comparisons to that other garage rock duo. "The obvious comparison is to the White Stripes," says Graham Rothenberg, a 24-year-old music promoter from New York City who noticed the bands' similar color scheme -- dressed in black and white while Riggs played a red and white guitar -- but qualifies his comparison. "They've got a lot more soul than The White Stripes do."
Jack and Meg, watch your backs. NATALIE DAVID
