Stereolab played first of 2 Brooklyn Steel shows w/ Fievel is Glauque (pics, setlist, review)

Stereolab's 2022 North American tour rolled into NYC on Monday night (10/10) for the band's first of two shows at Brooklyn Steel. Having caught the opening night of the tour in Nashville back in September, I can say that the band are much more in a groove after a month of shows, even with technical issues delaying the start of their set. Laetitia Sadier, Tim Gane and the rest of the band all seemed to be in a good mood playing to a packed house that was excited to see them. Stereolab fans have a reputation of being motionless record nerds, but Monday's crowd was pretty energetic, from sustained applause to a little dancing, a little pogo-ing, and a lot of synchronized head nodding.

An informal survey from the massive line for merch after the shows found Dots and Loops (which just turned 25) to be their most popular album, but it was their dronier material that made the most impact live. Songs like "Harmonium" and "Super-Electric" absolutely roared like a sonic sandblaster of chugging guitars and organ cranked to the max. When they played "French Disko" during the encore, the din of heavy drones set against black-and-white projections of whirling fans was downright sinister.

Stereolab's jazzier tropical side sounded good, too, especially those Dots and Loops songs, "Miss Modular" and the 17-minute "Pack Yr Romantic Mind" which had the crowd cheering for all four sections of the song. "The Free Design" and "Neon Beanbag" sounded great as well. Whatever style the band dipped into, Tim Gane stayed locked into a trance-like state, bobbing and nodding his head as he unleashed strum-und-drang on his instrument.

Brooklyn-Belgian group Fievel is Glauque, who've been on the whole tour, make for complimentary openers with their skronky brand of jazz pop. Their proper studio debut album is out in November. Check out photos of their set and the whole night by P Squared, along with Stereolab's setlist, below.

Stereolab play Brooklyn Steel again tonight (10/11), this time with Blue Jazz TV opening. Tickets are still available.

Fievel is Glauque, meanwhile, headline Market Hotel tonight with Godcaster and The Narcotix also on the bill.

You can also check out reviews of Stereolab's Nashville and Montreal shows, and pics from Chicago.

Pick up Stereolab vinyl in the BV shop.

SETLIST: Stereolab @ Brooklyn Steel 10/10/2022
Neon Beanbag
Low Fi
Op Hop Detonation
Refractions in the Plastic Pulse
U.H.F. – MFP
Miss Modular
Mountain
Delugeoisie
Harmonium
I Feel the Air (of Another Planet)
Pack Yr Romantic Mind
Super-Electric

Encore:
The Free Design
French Disko
Simple Headphone Mind

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