Nation of Language (w/ Blonde Redhead) @ The Paramount

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Nation of Language (Lisa Hagen Glynn)
Ian Richard Devaney, of Nation of Language.

By Lisa Hagen Glynn

Nation of Language played the Paramount Theatre on October 13, 2024. The Brooklyn synth-pop trio included Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar), Aidan Noell (synth, vocals), and Alex MacKay (bass).

Nation of Language had a pronounced 1980s sound, characterized by peppy major tunes, catchy arpeggiated synth lines, new-wave bass lines, and perpetual drum-machine grooves. Devaney bowed and belted, disappearing into thick fog and popping up elsewhere on the vast Paramount stage. Their 16-song set included selections from all three of their studio albums, emphasizing Strange Disciple.

The holiday weekend probably hurt attendance a bit, but the band seemed pleased by the turnout and thanked attendees profusely. The audience danced, sang along, and roared whenever Devaney hit a high note. Nation of Language seemed like they would bring the same positive energy to a house of ten or ten thousand.

They credited KEXP for the launch of their career, having performed several studio sessions there on previous tours. While in Seattle this time, the band planned a DJ set at Life on Mars, and a movie night at Here-After.

Sharing that they had first played the tiny Back Bar at Seattle’s old Crocodile, they said they were in disbelief to now be playing the Paramount—and “with fucking Blonde Redhead,” no less.

Aidan Noell and Ian Richard Devaney.
Alex MacKay.

Long-time NYC noisy-shoegaze trio Blonde Redhead performed what was technically an opening set, although with their influence they felt more like co-headliners. The group included founding members Kazu Makino (vocals, guitar, keys), Simone Pace (drums), and Amedeo Pace (vocals, guitar).

Blonde Redhead drew a stylistic contrast to Nation of Language, with mostly minor keys and sometimes dark lyrics. Providing a compelling complement, their sound ranged from driving, guitar-heavy tunes, to danceable thumping bass drum and keys, to still songs with breathy vocals. Their set crossed several of their ten albums, including the 2023 Sit Down to Dinner. Makino wore a keffiyeh, and dedicated the final song to Palestinian liberation. Before exiting the stage, the Pace brothers stepped atop a subwoofer to distribute setlists to appreciative fans.

Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino.
Brothers Simone and Amadeo Pace.

Nation of Language

Nation of Language
Nation of Language (Lisa Hagen Glynn)

Blonde Redhead

Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead

The Psychedelic Furs & The Jesus and Mary Chain (w/ Frankie Rose) @ The Paramount

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Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

By Lisa Hagen Glynn
The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs played a double bill at the Paramount Theatre on October 29, 2024. Although the two UK legacy bands varied stylistically, they were both hugely influential in the 1980s. Both also featured pairs of founding brothers, still at the top of their game.

English post-punk group The Psychedelic Furs brought excellent showmanship that highlighted the interaction between brothers Richard Butler (vocals) and Tim Butler (bass). In 2020 The Furs released Made of Rain, their first album in three decades. They opened with the first track off that album, “The Boy Who Invented Rock and Roll,” followed by other 14 selections across their catalog. The crowd screamed and hit record when the band started up hits like “Love My Way,” “Pretty in Pink,” “The Ghost in You,” and “Heaven.”

Tim and Richard Butler

Scottish alternative band The Jesus and Mary Chain featured brothers Jim Reid (vocals) and William Reid (guitar), who founded the group in 1983. Their performance was crisp, energetic, and compelling. True to their role as shoegaze predecessors, they spent most of the set in moody shadow with amps that read “JESUS.” JAMC released Glasgow Eyes earlier this year, and they played three songs from that album. They also included plenty of their older hits, including “April Skies,” “Happy When It Rains,” and “Reverence.” Near the end, opener Frankie Rose joined to sing two duets, “Sometimes Always” and “Just Like Honey.” As the band exited, people shrieked with appreciation. “Hell of a set,” exclaimed the guy behind me.

Jim and William Reid
The Jesus and Mary Chain

Special guest Frankie Rose opened with a new-wave set. The New York trio released Love as Projection in 2023, marking a divergence from Rose’s characteristic dreampop sound. This 25-date tour provided visibility for her sonic transition, and Rose was a well-selected bridge for the stylistic gap between the two headliners.

Frankie Rose

The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus & Mary Chain & Frankie Rose – photos by Lisa Hagen Glynn