Review by Jonathan Rejent
With the semester coming to a close and stress levels peaking, a number of New Mexico State University students found relief at the mid-April Deer Tick concert in El Paso.
Rather than a large venue, the concert took place at the Percolator, a cafe in the downtown area.
The event was not only one of Deer Tick’s final tour stops before its performance at Coachella music festival; it was the band’s first time playing a show in El Paso.
When asked about the praise the band received two years ago for their live performances and their progression since, Deer Tick front man John McCauley said their shows have become something different entirely.
“We’ve been known to do some wacky stuff on stage,” McCauley said – and the band’s performance in El Paso put meaning behind his words.
Obscene antics
Midway through one of Deer Ticks final songs, McCauley unzipped his jeans and began strumming the guitar with his penis.
Apart from a slight influx of camera flashes during the few seconds of exposure, many members of the audience said they were unaware what had occured until later that night when the concert was over.
“It happens,” McCauley laughed, when asked about the “exposure” on stage.
Guitarist Ian O’Neil said regardless of the increased publicity the band has seen within the past year, nobody is settling down in terms of having a “wild time” on stage.
Instead of ending their performance with one of their more popular songs, Deer Tick finished with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”
The aftermath
“That show helped me get my mind right,” said NMSU student Daniel Griffin, in reference to the break he was taking from schoolwork to attend the concert.
University of Texas at El Paso student Serena Garcia said the cafe was the perfect place to host the show.
“Small venues with small crowds always make shows much more personal, and much more enjoyable,” Garcia said.
Fans who missed the El Paso show will have a second chance to see Deer Tick in Santa Fe on Thursday, April 29, at the Santa Fe Brewing Company before the band continues its tour toward the East Coast.
