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By DCist contributor Francis Chung
The “Perez Hilton Presents” tour arrived at the 9:30 Club on Saturday night, offering fans an opportunity to gawk at the self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media” while also taking in performances by Ladyhawke, Ida Maria, Semi Precious Weapons and Frankmusik. Indeed, the celebrity blogger seemed to be as much of an attraction as any of the bands he brought along, receiving loud cheers each time he took the stage as emcee, drawing a crowd as he hawked T-shirts and CDs at the merch table, and fielding a steady stream of fan requests for autographs and photos, all while being shadowed by one of the club’s largest bouncers.
Musically, the concert was eclectic and entertaining, though not often inspired or inspiring. British electro-pop singer Frankmusik (playing his first U.S. gig) kicked off the proceedings, displaying an exuberant and kinetic stage persona that belied the blandness of his sound. He was followed by an effusive set by flamboyant NYC glam-rockers Semi Precious Weapons, during which energetic, self-aggrandizing songs like “Rock ‘n’ Roll Never Looked So Beautiful” and yesm “Semi Precious Weapons” provided an apt soundtrack to the visual spectacle of rock-god poses by stiletto-heeled frontman Justin Tranter and his cohorts.
Next up was Ida Maria, who played arguably the most disappointing set of the night, if only because she had set the bar high with the scintillating performance she put on at the Black Cat last March. Opening with a couple of loose, bluesy jams, the Norwegian indie-rocker appeared to be somewhat off-kilter and (as Perez would later suggest) fairly intoxicated, slurring lyrics and botching guitar parts while generally lacking the verve that has distinguished her recordings and previous live shows. After Ida Maria closed her set with “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked,” Hilton took the mic and announced that he was “about to get as drunk as that bitch,” adding that “Even though she was a train wreck, she was still awesome!” (It’s always helpful to have a professional on hand to provide instant spin.)
Following a lengthy changeover, Perez returned to declare that he was now inebriated, and introduced the evening’s final performer: New Zealand’s Ladyhawke. After the preceding shenanigans, the headlining set came as something of a pleasant surprise, as Phillipa Brown led her four-piece backing band through tight, vibrant renditions of catchy pop songs such as “My Delirium” and “Paris Is Burning.” As he had throughout the evening, Hilton watched (and Tweeted) enthusiastically from the wings as the second show of his 17-city tour ended on an upbeat note.
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