Free association time: OK Go.
Did you say treadmills? Yeah, I thought so.
In case you managed to stay off the internet for all of 2006, these former Chicagoans made their name by choreographing a three-minute, continuous-shot, low-budget treadmill-dancing masterpiece that became a YouTube sensation and garnered them a Grammy for Best Short-form Music Video.
If being a gimmicky success story isn’t enough, here are another three reasons for indie lovers to hate them: They’re featured on the soundtracks of such esteemed films as 1) She’s the Man, 2) John Tucker Must Die, and 3) The Twilight Saga: New Moon!
They’re clearly not ashamed to take advantage of the perks of commercial success, yet OK Go somehow manage to both be kind of gimmicky and really awesome. They embrace the fun inherent in their music and insist that whatever publicity their dance antics and eccentric, glam-rock style have gotten them, they never set out to play to the public eye.
And it’s clear that whatever success OK Go has seen, they love what they do and seem to have a blast doing it. Their songs are adrenaline-laden, tightly-wound anthems, heavy on the crashing percussion and power chords, light on the heartache or sap. They won’t make you cry, but they’ll try their damnest to make you dance.
The OK Go boys will be bringing their charm and chutzpah to the Canopy Club this Wednesday, promoting the upcoming release of their third full-length album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, this January. The record comes from a carefully culled collection of more than 60 songs, and the band says it brings a bit more grit, a bit less cleverness, and a bit more earnestness to their playful sound. Wednesday will likely bring a bit of both the tongue-in-cheek singles that brought OK Go their success, and the honest, heartfelt songs that Blue Colour promises to deliver.
Opening for OK Go will be Princeton, a balmy summer pop group out of Los Angeles. Princeton is celebrating the release of their debut album, Cocoon of Love, which came out on Kanine Records in September. They play feel-good indie pop for lovers and dreamers, breezy memories of loves lost and loves to come. With a touch of storytelling, a touch of nostalgia, and the haze of summer love, Princeton will start the night out on a lighter note before OK Go dives into their high-energy anthems.
Catch Princeton and OK Go tonight at Canopy Club. Tickets are $10 in advance and the show starts around 7 p.m.