Review: Sleigh Bells deliver the goods at State Theatre, St. Petersburg

Amid all the hubbub from umpteen zillion costume parties leading up to Halloween, I almost forgot about November creeping up on me until suddenly the Sleigh Bells show was just days away. I’ll admit I haven’t listened to their newest release as much as I did the first two, mostly because so much new music came out around the same time and I'm still catching up, but that didn’t mean I was any less excited about seeing them than I was the first three times. [Text by Marci, photos by Chris.]

Since I hadn’t read much buzz about the show on social media, I was pleased to find State Theatre packed when we arrived, and the intoxicating noise pop outfit hit the stage not long after I'd found a perch on a bartop. The energy in the place immediately spiked and the first crowd surfers were launched about five seconds into the first song. This time around, the dynamic duo — force-of-nature vocalist Alexis Krauss and her more subdued counterpart, guitarist Derek Miller — were joined by a drummer and a second guitarist, who took the place of the giant Marshall stacks that had served as their backdrop on previous tours. There was no lack of either volume or bass, though it was manageable enough that I actually took my earplugs out a few songs in without having to worry about my head vibrating off my shoulders.

Pictures of Alexis Krauss reveal a gorgeous brunette with sparkling grey eyes and haute-street style. Seeing her live, however, makes you realize just how much more there is to her than a pretty face with sharp fashion sense. Alexis is a total chameleon, transforming so easily and fluidly from softly lilting songbird to air-punching hardass, her gift for showmanship demonstrated most exquisitely in her delivery of the title track off latest album, Bitter Rivals. She’s charismatic and commanding all at once in a way that would be intimidating if she wasn’t damned gracious, too.

Near the end of the first set, Alexis ordered the crowd to open up the pit, which they were more than happy to do, swirling and moshing to the sounds of massive guitar riffs and deep seismic bass. Between songs, she related that she’d lived here for a year and felt a special connection to the area, and she seemed truly honored by the supportive and enthusiastic response from the folks who'd showed up that night and were wrapped around her tattooed finger.

During the three song encore, she paced the stage like a panther, and anyone who’s been to a Sleigh Bells shows in the past knew what was to expect. Finally, during “A/B Machines,” she sprung into the crowd to ride a sea of hands that, soon enough, had deposited her back onto the stage. I think the greatest indicator of the crowd's absorption that night was the veritable lack of cell phones in the air. Instead, the majority seemed content with actually experiencing fantastic live music right then, while it was happening. Tampa Bay was lucky to have so many great shows to choose from on Friday night, but those of us who ended up raging with Sleigh Bells confirmed that we’d made the right choice in heading to this one.

Setlist:
Minnie
Comeback Kid
Tiger Kit
Crown on the Ground
Bitter Rivals
True Shred Guitar
Kids
Demons
Born to Lose
You Don’t Get Me Twice
Riot Rhythms
Infinity Guitars

Encore
Young Legends
Sing Like a Wire
A/B Machines

[ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]