A man of many talents, Julian Casablancas is not only the founder of New York-based indie label Cult Records, but also the frontman of both The Strokes and The Voidz. I was able to catch his latest project, The Voidz, the other night in Santa Ana for their sold out show at The Observatory. Though they aren’t technically touring, the experimental rock group has announced a few odd shows here and there before their (and The Strokes’) numerous festival appearances coming up this summer. It was clear that the band, having not had a show in Orange County for a few years, had been sorely missed. As soon as Casablancas and company took the stage, the crowd came alive, and by the fourth song a mosh pit had erupted in the crowded section at the front of the stage. It’s hard not to compare the two projects of the famed frontman, and if it wasn’t easy enough to hear the difference just in listening to their music, the divide is even more apparent in their live performances. Where The Strokes have developed a reputation as more of a mainstream rock band, complete with recognizable hooks and distinctive melodies, The Voidz give off the feeling of more of a loose punk experiment; each song sounds different and it’s difficult to place them in one single genre. One song has melodies reminiscent of The Strokes, the next sounds like an adventure into 90s punk aggression, and the next sounds like a modern rock take on the plucky beats of Kraftwerk. Whichever path The Voidz are taking you down, between their experimental sound and their neon and laser-oriented stage design, it’s is bound to be a wild ride.
