REVIEW: Nuovo Testamento presented by Superdark Collective and Hellseeker Goth Night
11/7 @ No Fun, Troy NY
Photos by Pete Perry
“In short, if you could hear it, you were dancing.”
I know you've got a secret. I know there's an artist you listen to when nobody else is around. Maybe you slam the steering wheel to the beat or sing into your shampoo bottle in the shower. Maybe you turn down your headphones a few notches when they come on, or quickly skip them when the megacorp of your choice puts them in the queue at work. Everybody's got them, but here's the catch: What do you do when they come to town?
Well, if you're like me, you put on an outfit and face your shame to the sound of the crystalline synthesizers and bass that shakes your DNA.
Syd Silvair started off the night, wielding a bullhorn and theremin, and was flanked by Mark Silvair on guitar and synth. The two-piece came well equipped with an arsenal to get the crowd moving. Syd was dressed in an outfit that would take Cher's breath away, which tracked with her soulful and fun pop tunes. Each song had an undeniable groove and a flair for something that called back to dance tracks of yesteryear, while still sounding fresh and futuristic. Every time I turned back to look at the crowd, all I could see were moving bodies and hands outstretched to the sky, fully captured by the rhythm.
Most of the punks, degenerates, and meatheads like myself were there for Nuovo Testamento. With tours supporting Sunami and Scowl under their belt, they're on a crusade to make hardcore fans dance and like it, too. I'll bet you all the money in my wallet ($14) that they'll be selling out big venues soon and looking back fondly on the days they were kind enough to grace a little city like Troy with their presence.
Nuovo Testamento draws from techno, house, eurodance, synthpop, and anything else that gets butts shaking. They didn't just sound like they knew their material, they forged something new and beautiful that made their predecessors seem like stepping stones on a path to their sound. If you like cheesy synths played tastefully, drums that would make Phil Collins worry about his job security, and vocals so well crafted that the entire song is the hook? Look no further and spend whatever you have to in order to see them live.
Hellseeker and Superdark Collective teamed up to put my guilty pleasures in the spotlight and got me to dance harder than any time I can put to recent memory. A packed venue was turned into a nearly religious experience of 80s synths, electronic drums, and rhythms that made the hours pass like seconds. In short, if you could hear it, you were dancing.
