“Tonight is about fun! Tonight is about everyone being friends! Tonight is about everybody getting wasted!” There weren't enough exclamation points in the world to contain the introduction to Andrew W.K.’s set last night, rounding out a non stop, three-floored evening of jams and revelry for the Blow Out launch party.
Taking the stage in his trademark dirty white party garb, Andrew —along with hype-man/back up vocalist/t-shirt thrower Blake— bounced, traipsed, trounced and trundled through the next hour, creating a party out of nothing and taking the crowd with them. While previous tours have included upwards of four guitarists and multiple drummers, the present set up was minimal.
Backing tracks blared out mind crushing beats and the only live instrument was a keyboard center stage that Andrew would intermittently run back and forth from to lay down headbanging, semi-classical solos on during breaks in the songs. “It’s Time To Party” started things off, announcing the vibe and making it clear things weren't slowing down from that point on.
In fact, without the limitations of a traditional live band, song structures were more malleable, tempos often speeding up midway through and pushing the already frenzied vibe of the night even further into the red. Jumpy anthem “I Love New York City” got the hometown treatment, being redubbed “I Love Detroit Michigan” and basically keeping the same mission statement as the original of inciting and entire city to start partying.
Transcendent by Wednesday night standards, and fucking amazing by any metric, the show ended with a countdown from 100 and a blazing circle pit that somehow felt more fun than aggressive. I saw someone stuff themselves into a garbage can, smiling manically — just another logical way to celebrate life at the gig. After muttering something about baby ducklings before one of the last songs, Andrew clarified, “Remember, this isn't a show — it’s just a party.”
PHOTOS: Jeannette Fleury
