It was telling that there only seemed to be about 100 people on the dance floor when acclaimed French music maestro Sebastien Tellier took the stage at the Starlight Ballroom. Tellier was the featured artist of Making Time’s monthly club night on April 4. However, it was moved to a smaller venue usually reserved for rock shows, and while the place didn’t look inappropriate for getting down, it was pretty clear: no one in Philadelphia really cares about Sebastien Tellier.
Despite the attention-worthy name drop of Sexuality-production executive Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo from Daft Punk, Tellier’s tunes didn’t really resonate with much of anyone in a live setting, mostly because he didn’t give them a chance. Tellier only played about six songs before inexplicably walking off stage. The set was just over twenty-five minutes long.
It might be going too far to say it was short and sweet, but maybe more accurately, short with shrugs and “it could have been better.” Tellier played some of his best songs, “Sexual Sportswear” and “Divine,” and a fantastic version of “L’amour Et La Violence” to close the set. The live version of the latter still has the classically-influenced keyboards, but kicks into a percussion jam that reaches a more club-appropriate energy level.
It seemed that Tellier felt misplaced among the DJ sets, because in truth his performance wasn’t bad, just far too short. His music is, in essence, pop with disco influence, but draws deeply from an interpretation of soul that if isn’t realized by fans in an appropriate setting, doesn’t serve much of a purpose. Tellier’s old work, like the song “Fantino,” which appears on the Lost in Translation soundtrack, is significantly more telling of that soul influence than most of everything on Sexuality. But that wouldn’t be appropriate for a Making Time event, either. In Philadelphia, in early Spring, Sebastien Tellier was out of place, and still feeling out who he is and what his music has become.
DOWNLOAD: Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer (Moulinex Remix) (MP3) or Follow us for more Sebastien Tellier MP3s (Twitter)
haha is that a compliment?
by colin on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.49 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
love that melophobe has more “couples” reviewers, and more “Ian/Ion/Ian/Iain” than the average site…
by Ian on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.48 pm from the entry: sevendust + drowning pool + digital summer + the flood - showbox market (seattle, WA; Mar 07, 2010
you’re positively glowing in this interview, Colin
by Ian on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.46 pm from the entry: Interview - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
Hey Merseilles did a live web show at sonicbirds office gig on Friday that was pretty spectacular. Can anyone find a copy of that?
by Smallweed on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 11.40 am from the entry: SXSW Send Off Show - Visqueen + Hey Marseilles - Neumos (Seattle, WA; Mar. 5, 2010)
I was thinking of looking up some of them newspaper websites, but am glad I came here instead. Although glad is not quite the right word…
montreal asian escorts
by Abbott on Sat Mar 13, 2010 at 06.00 am from the entry: Social Distortion - Showbox Sodo (Seattle, WA; July 17, 2009)
16 is great! jealous there was a fence at the market....
by nicole on Fri Mar 12, 2010 at 06.53 pm from the entry: sevendust + drowning pool + digital summer + the flood - showbox market (seattle, WA; Mar 07, 2010
Kelli Shaefer’s songs get stuck in my head non-stop. Every other day I find myself waking up with one in there. And that’s a good thing, she’s a talent!
by Siri on Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 04.37 pm from the entry: Artist Profile - Kelli Schaefer (Portland, OR; Winter, 2010)
