Fujiya & Miyagi @ 9:30 Club
There is this misconception among the world of rock 'n' roll that being self-referential in songs is patently uncool. Oh sure, back in the 1950s and '60s, ironically asking "Who are you?" or proudly proclaiming "Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees!" was perfectly acceptable, but barring an occasional song like "The Dismemberment Plan Gets Rich!", being self-referential is usually relegated to the world of hip-hop (good and bad) or narcissistic hoo-hahs like Kid Rock. But British rock outfit Fujiya & Miyagi aren't afraid to let you know who they are, whether they're repeatedly saying their own name during "Ankle Injuries" or plastering it on the projection screen behind them, and they manage to come across as cool doing it.
Fujiya & Miyagi specialize in a brand of dance music that stays a little reserved. The melodies are simple and bass-driven. While the keyboard melodies occasionally take hints from electronic dance masters Daft Punk, they have as much in common with the moody electronic sounds of Air, and hardly inspire all out chaos so much as toe tapping and head bobbing. All three members of the act who contribute to the vocals sing in a hushed monotone that perfectly complements their beats. As they pant, roll their Rs and repeatedly utter words like "sticky" (as in songs like "Photocopier"), it's clear that this method of singing adds a sex appeal only Brits can deliver.
If the music got repetitive (which it did around the 40-minute mark before they broke out their hit, "Collarbone"), the projections behind the band were interesting enough to keep everyone at the 9:30 Club entertained. The onscreen visuals were comprised entirely of dice, which showed everything from workout videos to outlines of the band members' faces, and of course the words "Fuijya" and "Miyagi" spinning over a colorful background. A Pac-Man game gave rise to a snort of approval from all the concertgoers who used to rot their brains on that game in video arcades.
The entire night wasn't completely restrained. When Fujiya & Miyagi came back with "Pickpocket" as their encore, guitarist David Best went into his best discordant feedback-inducing guitar shredding. Even the 9:30 Club bartenders started busting a move. Over that wilder background, the gentlemen once again started repeating "Fujiya. Miyagi. Fujiya. Miyagi," as if to sign off until their next appearance, when ideally, nobody in that room need be given a reminder of who and what they'd seen.
Opener School of Seven Bells could probably headline the 9:30 Club outright if they continue to impress audiences like they did on Thursday night. The Deheza sisters contribute ethereal harmonies that are utterly hypnotic over their sampled beats and Blonde Redhead-esque guitar. While School of Seven Bells provide the sorts of songs that are usually best listened to at high volume on headphones and alone in one's bedroom, they showed that their sound can fill a 1100 capacity room just as easily.