TV on the Radio Live at the SPIN Party at Stubb’s SXSW

Immediately thereafter, New York City’s TV on the Radio deftly avoided making the same mistake The Kills just did. With bassist Gerard Smith out sick recovering from lung cancer, Tunde Adebimpe, Kyp Malone, Dave Sitek and drummer Jaleel Bunton (switching to bass for these shows) forged on with a replacement hand to fill the vacant slot. The group’s chemistry was the best live in quite some time. Those of us in California might remember a considerably lackluster performance on the main stage at Coachella 2009. No longer though, as this show found them putting their unique and artful craftsmanship to the best use imaginable. The band only played one new song, and otherwise dropped in choice “Red Dress,” “Staring at the Sun,” “Blues from Down Here” and closer “Wolf Like Me” to an enthusiastic response from the crowd.