Eluding anger: I haven’t yet experienced Death Grips in a live setting, but I imagine the atmosphere to be something akin to the liberating effects of alcohol, with a few minor adjustments. First, replace pizza chunk-infused vomit with saliva, indiscriminately spewed, and second, acknowledging subjectivity, replace excessive (yet entirely platonic) displays of affection with a general disregard for your fellow human being. It’s a collective ballooning of angst, for which relief is only achieved through on-call and miracle-working therapists, or Death Grips actually performing.
On August 2, Death Grips didn’t actually perform for a scheduled Lollapalooza aftershow at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago, and the David Blaine of group therapists was also mysteriously absent, so instead of anticipating fans downing some green tea as a means of alleviating their already bulging blood vessels, somebody, or some people chose to rush the stage and trash what appeared to be DG’s equipment, but which included, curiously, a “child’s learning drum kit.” Since that time, the group cancelled their shows at Osheaga on August 4, in Boston on August 6, in New York on August 7, and in Baltimore on August 9.
Here’s what might bring the blood of those would-be concertgoers past the boiling point: contrivance. After repeatedly telling Bottom Lounge workers that Death Grips were on their way, the tour manager ended things with an admission that the setup, with a Death Grips album playing in the background, “was the show.” The centerpiece of said setup, furthermore, was a projected image of a suicide note from a Death Grips fan (see above). Here’s the transcription, via someone on Reddit:
I am ready to take my own life. Many bad experiences led me to this dark void that I am locked in. Maybe by my own hands? I don’t really care anymore. I just wanted to say thank you for showing me the other side. the side that is locked away deep inside a person. I am mad. Mad all the time and depressed all the time. I can’t take it. I’m not afraid of dying but i am afraid that I can’t hear DG in the after life if there is such a thing. I don’t know, but I hope your music transcends to the unknown. A place where DG’s essence exists. A place where art exists. I love art. That’s the one thing that kept me alive? this long. So just to ease minds, DG didn’t “influence” me to do this. this is my own fucking choice. but thanks for making my life a little better. you’re my absolute fave and I will fight the gods if they don’t allow me to follow DG’s efforts can’t see Earth. Anyways, continue doing great things. I love you Stefan, Zach, and Andy.
I will be watching.
-AJJ
According to Vanyaland, the show in Boston was nixed once staff at the Bowery learned of a similar setup. Uh, art? Not sure how to feel about this one.
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