I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: October 22, 2024] Descartes A Kant

In 2018 Descartes A Kant, Bob Boilen talked about Descartes A Kant at SXSW and said they were an amazing band live.  I have wanted to see them ever since, but (I assume since they are based in Guadalajara Mexico) they never came anywhere close to us.

And then, SIX YEARS later, they announced a show in Philly after releasing what might be my favorite album of 2024, After Destruction.  It’s a concept album of sorts, with songs that are not really connected but have am idea running through them.  The band has enlisted the help of a DAK machine which is designed to help you navigate life.  The album opens with Hello User, in which the DAK welcomes you to its programming.

And that is how the show opened as well.  Although, like Star Carr, they seemed to have a bunch of technical difficulties and I wondered if we didn’t get an encore because of it (I honestly don’t know).

But they had their big DAK machine on stage and their bassist Memo Ibarra turned it on, and the voice over from the record welcomed us to the show.

You may be able to tell from the picture on the right, but the band has a look.  For this album and tour it is futuristic, so all four members were wearing yellow jumpsuits.

Up front was the creator of the band Sandrushka Petrova (she started the band in 2001 and released their first album in 2007).  By 2023 they had a whole new lineup and released this amazing album.  Next to Drushka was guitarist Ana Cristina Mo.  They played off of each other wonderfully both in their interactions and when they traded off solos.

Ibarra was off to the side (essentially all three members were in a diagonal line from left to right.  Drummer Leo Padua was in the back.

All three members up front performed a routine as they played (there is a heavy choreographed/dance element to their shows).  Nothing complicated, but everyone moving in sync–which of course looked great since they were all in matching outfits.

They played the first three songs on the album and I assumed they were going to play the album straight through (which makes sense since it is a concept album), but they jumped the order a bit to one of the last songs Woman Sobbing.  I was especially intrigued by this because Drushka’s voice is quite different in this one–she screams some lines and I wanted to see her do it.  I was better than expected.

They jumped around to other albums too–three songs from their debut album Paper Dolls, a far more aggressive and dark album.  Two songs from Il Visore Lunatique and only one from Victims of Love Propaganda. (I was rather hoping they’d play You Assfucked My Heart, but alas.

Then they returned to the album and played it through to the end.  DAK was very helpful and I believe had more to say in the live show than on record.

And then (all too soon) it was time for the encore.  All four members of the band donned fishbowl helmets that lit up, just to add even more theatrics to the night.

I loved every moment of the show.  And after the show, I chatted briefly with Drushka and she signed my poster.  I tried to chat with Ana, but she had a lengthy line, so I missed out.   But I do hope they come back.  And more importantly, I hope they make a Part 2 to this album, because there;s so many more songs I want to hear!’

1. Hello User ♥
2. Graceless ♥
3. Press Any Key ♥
4. Woman Sobbing ♥
5. Atascatto ♣
6. Pedigree ♣
7. My Sweetest Headache Waltz ♣
8. Suckerphilia ¥
9. Self-F  ♥
10. The Mess We’ve Made ♥
11. You Knew This Would Happen ♥
12. Raindrops of Poison ♥
13. A Catastrophe ♥
14. After Destruction ♥
15. Restart and Heal ♥
16. Motion Picture Dream Boy ⊗
17. Buy All My Dreams ¥

♥ After Destruction (2023)
⊗ Victims of Love Propaganda (2017)
¥ Il Visore Lunatique (2012)
♣ Paper Dolls (2007)