Photographer: Abigail Haven
Writer: Holly Van Ness
On Thursday, October 24th, French post-punk band Rendez Vous played an intimate, yet exhilirating, set at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City.
The independent venue, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, is known for securing unique acts–making Rendez Vous the perfect candidate for a performance there. The band was joined by Blu Anxxiety, an alternative band out of New York City. “It’s that dark sense of humor, a healthy dose of high energy and a sense of fun that propels the “Internet Terrorist” video as well as the new LP Plaay Dead as a whole,” Fred Pessaro describes on No Echo.
Rendez Vous is currently touring North America in support of their new album Downcast. Stereogum praises the album as, “invigorating blasts of grunge, post-punk, and garage rock: the genre doesn’t really matter, it’s all energy,” and Rolling Stone France recounts the sound as, “…dark and noisy brilliance, sometimes very high tempos, and shoegaze riffs.”
Guest contributor Abigail Haven caught the set at (Le) Poisson Rouge and while she had never heard of Rendez Vous before, she became a fan by the end of the show. “Rendez-Vous delivers an electrifying take on post-punk that’s both raw and darkly atmospheric, and it’s the kind of sound that feels TRULY healing after being packed into a dark, cold basement with a watered-down soda,” Abigail explains. “Their clearly new wave-inspired vocals are the kind that fill the space in my heart that constantly craves a dose of modern post-punk, new wave rock.”
Abigail describes their vocals as dark, gothic, even, and they made her want to dance like nobody was watching–which, she recalls, is exactly what the crowd was doing all night. “It’s no wonder all kinds of people with all kinds of styles flock to their shows,” she says. “Rendez-Vous is [a band] that keeps you on the edge of your seat, leaving you a little jealous of those who know the lyrics by heart. Their ability to craft a soundscape that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern makes them a compelling listen for anyone who appreciates the moodiness of the 80s and punk of all sorts.”
Remaining tour dates (including festivals outside of the United States) can be found here.
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