Controversy aside, Viet Cong are here to stay

Photos by Diana Cordero // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Viet Cong with Freak Heat Waves //
Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco
March 5th, 2015 //

Viet Cong were in the news for the wrong reason last week, but that didn’t phase one of the most buzzed-about bands of 2015 from delivering one of the most pummeling and enjoyable shows of the New Year.

Joined by fellow Canadians Freak Heat Waves, this arty bill grabbed the attention of locals as this long-sold-out show had folks clamoring to gain entry.

Freak Heat Waves delivered their own unique take on post-new wave that was both entirely detached but thoroughly entertaining as the discordant performance kept you tapping your foot steadily while being engulfed in monotone vocals.

Once the appetizer had been digested, Viet Cong were taking the stage and beginning a theme of quirky banter that eased the crowd into the blistering set as opposed to bombardment. Within the first few chords, it was evident that continued time on the road found the band at the peak of perfection.

A recent self-titled debut on Jagjaguwar has gained the attention of indie hounds looking for the “next big thing” as the sound on this LP can be described as a dysfunctional marriage of Interpol, Foals and Parquet Courts. Early crowd-pleasers “Continental Shelf” and “Silhouettes” kept the capacity crowd’s attention as the art-rock darlings worked their way through an exceptionally well-crafted set.

It’s safe to say that we will be hearing much more from this quartet for the duration of the year, even if they are known by a different name by the end of that time.