The Buttertones, alongside New Misphoria, took the Atlanta audience down eccentric lane with cracking setlists, unforgiving fog and idiosyncratic stage presence.
The night of Sept. 16, I had the pleasure of watching what can be called the salvation of BritRock today, The Buttertones. Before them, of course, New Misphoria took the stage. This refreshing pair of Arkansas natives truly spilled their guts on stage, in an unforgettable 40-minute act.
I cannot stress enough how much New Misphoria impressed me. They are inspired, talented women that will be noticed as they take their project further. Their mix of folk and new wave is fresh out of the oven for everyone to grab. New Misphoria, alongside MJ Lenderman and Horsegirl, are paving the road to a new era of music and are a band to watch out for in the years to come.
After the electric performance of New Misphoria, the lights darkened, and in between the clouds of thick air people could see the flashes of that iconic fiery shade. The shape of a man took place as he, with long legged strides, grabbed the microphone. With a haunting voice, Richard Araiza started singing “Life Coach.”
The rest of their set list as follows:
1. Life Coach
2. Luna Estupenda
3. Dionysus
4. Judy Do A Spin
5. Winks and Smiles
6. Nu Suave
7. You're Gonna Die
8. Baby Doll
9. Brickhead
10. Jungle
11. Chaos Reigns
12. Sadie's Sadist
13. Matador
14. Orpheus Under the Influence
Encore: Reminiscing
It is impossible not to make the connection of Araiza Bach to Joe Strummer, The Clash vocalist. His defiant yet caressing attitude enraptures people. The music left so many questions unanswered, yet I wasn’t dissatisfied with that feeling. Like not being able to explain the details behind a horror story.
After the turbulence the band faced in 2020, then the release of their latest single “Chaos Reigns,” they are sailing their ship toward new horizons. In their music, much more of vasist and vocalist Karly Low can be heard, her airy notes melting perfectly with Araiza’s syrupy hollers.
The crowd wasn’t as populated as expected, but The Buttertones don’t need much to throw an impeccable show. While crowd work and interaction was for sure missed, the deliberate excluding of this definitely had its effects. People were overtaken, like looking at a stormy canvas at the museum.
“Chaos Reigns” being the fifth single in a row, an album is not far away. I think I speak for everyone in the crowd at Terminal West that night when I say, I cannot wait for their sixth LP. I expect their release to be in WEGLs top 15 albums of the year. After 4 years of withdrawal, The Buttertones better give us something that will haunt our fall season.
You can catch The Buttertones and New Misphoria in the next dates:
09/24 Chelsea's Live | Baton Rouge, LA
09/25 Warehouse Live Midtown | Houston, TX
09/26 Parish | Austin, TX
09/ 27 Paper Tiger | San Antonio, TX
09/28 RBC | Dallas, TX
09/29 Resonant Head | Oklahoma City, OK
10/02 Launchpad | Albuquerque, NM
10/03 Clubcongress | Tucson, AZ
10/04 Swan Dive | Las Vegas, NV
