Nerve @ Nublu 7/21/10

I really wanted to catch some of this. I couldn't figure out what time it would start. That's how I found myself in the area at 10pm to catch The Stone show. I did catch a little of the Nerve soundcheck before heading over there. All I heard was the very intense drumming. Someone observing the drum soundcheck requested "Hot For Teacher". Jojo started playing it. It was great and he is a great drummer. There's a lot of talent and a lot of intensity. I liked it and the drumming in the actual show a lot. There was also something different that I can't quite pinpoint. I don't want to imply it was less or more, just different than what Alex Van Halen's drumming on that song feels like. I definitely could feel Jojo, just a different feeling.

I found a good description of the type of music online:
Jojo Mayer initiated NERVE in spring ‘98 as an experimental platform for a handful of New York musicians interested in the current stream of electronic music styles in DJ culture such as “drum n` bass”, nu skool breaks, nu-jazz, abstrakt funk, electro break beats etc., while also trying to detect and explore the most recent developments in “intelligent” electronic dance music.

I saw Takuya Nakamura earlier this week and I was very curious. When I looked him up I saw he was playing at Nublu. Nublu's site says this is not to be missed. Hence, I was compelled to check it out.

They came on at 11:30. It is definitely the type of band that shouldn't come on too early. It's very intense. I enjoyed the 20 min I saw. It also grew on me and got into my veins as it progressed. I wanted to stay, I just have a lot going on and needed to be alert the next day. Here's a good article about the band. It says "BEWARE: NERVE might change your life...". I could see that. I feel altered. There's something about it. I also was reminded of Uri Caine's Bedrock. It's different, but reminiscent.

I need to see the whole show sometime.