Julian Casablancas + The Voidz Rev Up the House of Blues

Adam Reynoso ’15 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

In anticipation of the band’s opening number, the audience in the venue cheered, letting out screams for lead singer, Julian Casablancas. In a short amount of time, the space had filled up almost entirely and awaited the band in the blackness that had shrouded the stage. It wasn’t long before Julian Casablancas + The Voidz blasted the audience with their guitars and sounds and gave them what they had asked for.

The band roared through their set, starting with “Xerox,” playing “M.utually A.ssured D.estruction,” and even threw in a couple of The Strokes covers, which was expected considering both bands share the same lead singer. Each song grew stronger than the one before it. They had a defiant attitude that came out with their guitar playing and keyboard beats. While The Strokes went for a more straight up alternative, rock sound, The Voidz sounded more punk and electronic and experimental vibes.
Visually, the show kept a dark tone throughout. The stage was usually covered in darkness, with hints of green lighting and occasional blues. It made the focus of the concert remain on the band itself and it was a clear and deliberate choice on the band’s part. It kept the audience engaged with the music they were playing and trying to take in every ounce of it. And with the darker lighting, it really set the mood for their set list. There was nothing light about the music and it was meant to look at these darker tunes.

A recurring theme in the show was how big it felt. It had this grand scale about it that perhaps came with how the audience reacted to the band as well as the skill with which the band performed. The band dominated the stage and the venue and turned this show at the House of Blues into something bigger than that. Each guitar strum was deafening, in the way that it should be. It was loud and crazy and amazing, all in one performance. The band knew how to put on a show and perhaps it had to do with members’ own experience with their other bands.

And then there was Julian Casablancas himself. He has a voice that’s immediately recognizable and it was entertaining to hear it in a new light. For fans of The Strokes, it’s definitely worth checking out The Voidz and seeing another side to this talented musician. It seemed he brought everything he had learned from The Strokes and played something he might have wanted to play for years. The material he created with this band shows sign of a new era for the artist and great potential. It’s different and has an eclectic vibe to it. He’s slowly building his own record label and exploring different avenues in the music business, and if The Voidz is any indication of what he has in store, it’s going to be something good.

When they were done with their main set, the audience continued to cheer the band on, showing their need for an encore. They had come out to see Julian Casablancas’ new project and liked what they had heard.