STRFKR brought an exquisite, extraterrestrial performance to Meow Wolf’s stage last Wednesday night. With doors opening at 7 o’clock and music lasting until 10:45 p.m., the band filled the House of Eternal Return with their classic indie rock sound.
As lazers and projectors casted green, yellow and blue lights onto the scattered stage, STRFKR walked out, decorated in matching black quarter zip shirts. The right chest plate of each band member showed off a golden triangular space themed pattern. Light panels illuminated different shapes and colors behind them.
Lead singer Sexton Blake took his look a step further by adding a pink wig and oversized circular glasses to the mix. To get a better view, audience members were hanging from the faux windows of the second floor, and fans below began to push others out of the way.
Opening with “Satellite” from the band's seventh career album, Being No One, Going Nowhere, STRFKR immediately escalated the crowds energy. Confetti cannons shot multi colored flakes into the air, letting the fragments of paper decorate the venue.
Band members Sexton Blake, Shawn Glassford and Patrick Morris each stood in front of a synthesizer, in addition to their respective instruments. As each song was performed, they were able to play multiple instruments at once. Most impressively, all members impeccably hit their harmonies and vocal leads, including drummer Keil Corcoran.
With a steady roll from song to song, the bands enthusiasm didn’t seem to stop. Playing a variety of songs from the entirety of their discography, the show was suitable for all audience members in attendance. The crowd’s age ranged from high school students to older adults, in addition to one young boy in the crowd.
During the fourth song, two astronauts joined STRFKR on stage and the crowd beamed with excitement. The two space people made appearances several times throughout the show, performing a variety of antics from making out, to crowd surfing. At one point, they even flashed red and blue polka-dot lights within their suits.
One of the crowd favorites was “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” a Cyndi Lauper cover off of the band’s Jupiter (2012) album. With a strong bass line and a drum beat that rolls off the cymbal, the song acted as an auditory embodiment of the 80s sci-fi aesthetic on stage.
One of the astronauts and merchandise table employee, Chance Jackson, said he has toured with the band for seven years now. When asked about how they enjoyed performing at Meow Wolf, he only had positive things to say. According to Jackson, STRFKR loves the venue because of its unique nature.
“I remember when we came here like seven years ago and we played at VFW hall. The Meow Wolf people had booked the show but they didn’t have a space yet. We got into this big fight with the VFW people,” Jackson said. “They did did not want young people in their traditional bar. The whole thing was a big mess.”
To close the night, STRFKR played three encore songs. The confetti cannons were rolled back out and the lights behind the stage strobbed with white light. When playing “Jupiter,” the sound of the synthesizer seemed to bring the crowd into a trance, bringing the concert’s space journey through synthesizers, strobe lights and confetti to an end.
“I’ve listened to STRFKR for a really long time and when I was in middle school or early high school I wanted to see them, but it was a 21 plus show,” said University of New Mexico alumnus, Jessie Bodelson. “So, years later, I’m glad I could see them now.”
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As the crowd began to disperse, people lined up to purchase shirts, sticker, flags, vinyls, cassettes and CD’s from the merchandise table. With the line lasting from the exhibit entrance to the door, fans stood amongst themselves, talking about wanting more.
Luisa Pennington is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted by email at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @_lpennington_.
