Handsome Furs Melt Minds

Handsome Furs@Belly Up, San Diego, Ca.

I may be breaking a commandment when I admit to the fact that I covet Dan Boeckners’ wife.  But than again I also covet his life, and his band geneology and pretty much everything about him.  Having performed in bands such as Atlas Strategic and Wolf Parade and now fronting Handsome Furs with wife Alexei Perry make him completely covetable.  It gets even worse when seeing them live.  This is the second time I have seen them perform, and each time Dan has some great commentary between songs, usually referencing drugs and Tijuana and his smashing wife.  The kinetic fire that lights up the stage between them is apparent and shocking.  The sounds that are produced are perfectly mutated to cause movement that starts deep under their feet and carries itself through any mass of bodies.  It sincerely feels like standing in the midst of an X-Men comic book panel as energy is sent from the extended fingers of two on stage that than careens through crowds of people.  I happened to be one of those people, strewn backwards, arms raised, mouth wide open, and body moving.  Luckily there was a camera that caught the mayhem.

Words by Thirst’n Howl

Photos by Monti Smith