Select Date
The calendar requires Javascript.
Entry
Sonic Snogg: The Death Set Thrash Red 7
The Death Set at Red 7, 5.20.11
[All photos by Jerry Milton]
It’s 1 am on Friday night at Red 7 and when the classic Jackson 5 song, “I want you back,” comes roaring through the speakers, The Death Set takes the stage with “oh baby, give me one more chance (to show you that I love you). Won't you please let me back in your heart…,” in the background. Johnny Siera (lead vocals, guitar), Jahphet Landis (drums), and Daniel Walker (guitar, vocals) form this Brooklyn-based three-piece. The Death Set could not possibly sound less like the Jackson 5 once their intro music fades out and they unveil their own distinctive fusion of punk, electronic, and rap.
Never seen The Death Set live? Advice: watch out! Standing in the back or on either the side of the stage are great options for those who value personal space above irreverent, aggressive body slamming. Of course, the best view and place to stand during the set might actually be on the stage. “Everyone here is not going to heaven,” Siera declares mid-show as he studies the young and exuberant crowd. Despite this concern, The Death Set still invite the first few rows to join them onstage. The lucky on-stage swarm seems slightly more respectful than other crowd-level punk shows, preferring to dance and sing/scream rather than to inflict any actual harm.
The Death Set expertly perform their most widely accessible song, “Negative Thinking,” early in the set followed by the more stylized “Intermission,” and “Slap, Slap, Slap, Pound, Up, Down, Snap,” later on. Paying homage to their former band mate who passed away in 2009, the song “I Miss you Beau Velsasco,” is the musical high point of the show and “it’s beautiful.” Catchy melodies and simple, yet memorable lyrics delivered with a screaming force may not always be appreciated by all, but even the least punk-friendly observer cannot deny The Death Set’s captivating live performance. As the
show nears the end, Siera throws down his sticker-covered fender guitar, displacing cymbals and yanking microphone chords out of their sockets as he runs about the stage without missing a note. Additional chances to catch The Death Set stun another Austin stage in the near future seem likely, as they continues to promote their critically-acclaimed new album, “Michel Poiccard” just released in mid-March of this year on Counter / Ninja Tune.
