Le Loup Live at the Black Cat

At one point last night, Le Loup's lead singer, Sam Simkoff, leaned into his microphone and said that it was nice to be back home. The crowd packed inside of Washington D.C's Black Cat couldn't have been happier to have them back. After being on the road for the last month in support of their newest album, Family, Le Loup took the stage to an audience composed of friends, family members and fans alike.

For anyone who has only heard Le Loup on album, the live experience can be quite shocking. Though experimental to be sure, most of the songs on Family rely on space, harmonies, and African inspired rhythms. On stage however, they get freaky and wild in ways that the studio versions only hint at. While Robby Sahm's drums are often the driving force behind the songs, a few times throughout the course of the evening the remaining members gathered in a circle to perform what might be the only enjoyable 'drum circle' I have ever seen. Another surprising revelation (aside from the guitarists truly awe inspiring whiteguy afro) was simply getting to see how truly talented these guys are. Each member in Le Loup work their ass off to make sure that you're shaking yours. And dancing wasn't a problem. The deep Beach Boys meet Bob Marley-on-steroids grooves were infectious enough to move even the most stone-cold hipster. But the best moves were those of Simkoff, who has the greatest white boy shuffle on stage this side of Thom Yorke.

At one moment during last night's performance as Sahm pulverized his drum kit and Simkoff tweaked knobs that made abstract noises rain down on the crowd, while the rest of the band shredded guitars in shadow of the aforementioned afro, I paused to ponder the amazing fact that this all started in a basement in Bethesda, Maryland. As I came back to my senses I looked up to see the band looking completely caught up the pulse of their own groove. That pulse couldn't have sounded healthier. Le Loup fiercly defend the DC scene at every opportunity and one only has to look to Le Loup to see that the DC music scene is alive and well.