Review Mon May 23 2011

Review: CSS @ Metro 5/21

By Bonnie Page

Lovefoxxx (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

Most nights you can walk into a venue and gauge what's coming from a band based on the appearance of its fans. This canon did not hold true Saturday night at the Metro. The crowd was all over the place: electro glam rockers, tall model types, young hipsters and drunk married couples. Their attire spanned from high heels to converse, lumberjack plaid to androgynous hot pants - you get the idea. The uniting principle: people came to dance! It almost goes without saying that this principle included Brazilian electro, rock band CSS.

CSS is an acronym for the Portugese phrase Cansei De Ser Sexy and translates into "got tired of being sexy", but they should seriously consider renaming themselves "Richard Simmons Turned into Rockstar And Went on a Sugar Binge", whatever that translates into. Because, when translated into physical action, CSS meant an hour long, sweat-inducing conglomeration of heavy bass, electro rock, disco beats and glam punk references spanning the band's two album history. For 60 minutes not a body on the main floor stood still. Including curiously face-painted rock star and lead vocalist, Lovefoxxx.

Throughout the night, Lovefoxxx made the most of her cheeky Brazilian charm and her salacious lyrics were highlighted by the Metro's shocking pink lights; she was the PERFORMER. She erratically jumped around to the heavy guitar riff intro of Blondie-esq "Music is my Hot Hot Sex", got all hardcore in the electro-glam "ArtBitch" and bob-jumped along with the chorus "I ain't no Artist /I'm an Artbitch/lick lick lick my arttit".

Lovefoxxx (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

Initially covered from head to toe, Lovefoxx athletically stripped an article of clothing off a song at a time, ending up in a cut up red t-shirt and jean short-shorts.She broke from her jazzercise-routine-on-speed only to crowd surf, to throw out packets of Emergen-C and granola bars or to otherwise interact with the Lovefoxxx-ravenous Metro crowd. The gist of her act can be summed up with her mid-set proclamation: "Fuck it I'm just gonna be who I'm gonna be!" Then, with her head thrust back and hair perpendicular to the stage, she coyly replied to her own statement (with all the charm and sensuality of a Brazilian accent): "I want to be inappropriate!"

CSS (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

While all of that was going on CSS bandmates Adriano Cintra (bass/backing vocals/drums), Ana Rezende ,dos Anjos (keyboards/guitar/Keytar!), Carolina Parra (guitar/keyboard/drums) and Luiza Sá (guitar/cowbell!/keyboard) held down the fort, so to speak. They Provided consistently dance-worthy beats and electric fuzz from "Air Painter" to the make-up melting lyrics "Oh My God I'm so Hot" from the song "Jager Yoga". And they supported Lovefoxx with cold synths to Prince-ish "Let's break it off" choruses.

Lovefoxxx (Photos by Kirstie Shanley)

Unfortunately, 11:48pm, and that "last song" announcement, came too quickly. CSS exited the stage. Reclaiming the stage for 12 minutes of all-out-encore, Lovefoxxx returned in a vintage '80s coral, long sleeved prom dress and ended the electric set by getting "all west coast" on the crowd with their "slow jam"; a nursery-rhyme-like spoken word song that fit somewhere between early '90's hiphop and Blondie's "Man From Mars", with super sunshiney dance choruses intermixed. But CSS couldn't end the hour like that! The final number screamed into disco dance beats, while Parra stood on top of the drum set banging the cymbals and Lovefoxxx crowd surfed (multiple times) to glam white strobe lights before she ripped off the prom dress and throwing it into the audience. Rockstar.