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Story by Andrea Jenels
Photos by
Angela Wangrud
I'm sure we all remember going to a Pink Floyd laser show at some point in our youth. Whether you yourself were the connoisseur of - ahh hemmm - psychedelic enhancements, shall we say? Or you had that one friend who was insistent on having your 'mind blown' by the myriad of lights, lasers, and smoke. Now fast forward technological advancements 20 years or so. Upgrade the visual elements, add a little, no scratch that, A LOT of bass, and infuse with a belly dancing goddess, and you have yourself the Beats Antique experience.
Milwaukee's Turner Hall played host to the Tribal-infused Electronic Performance Art group on Thursday night. The trio of founding members David Satori, Zoe Jakes, and Tommy Cappell garnered a loyal following of fans, filling the venue with the likes of hoopers, hipsters, hippies, and beatheads. All were welcome (that was made apparent to me by the numerous people asking if this was my first Beats show). Stories were shared between strangers retelling how they found out about the group and where they saw them live for the first time. Enthusiasm came to a head as the mesmerizing Zoe Jakes took the stage in her sultry avant-garde style. Being a professional belly dancer since 2000 and with more than 10 years of dance experience behind her, she certainly knows how to command the stage. At one point Jake's pulled a volunteer on stage to help with the giant inflatable one-eyed bear that swayed and loomed over the audience, much to their praise. Mind you, this was all happening while lasers shot onto the ceiling creating artistic imagery for wandering eyes to adore.
In between costumes changes for Jakes, Satori and Cappell kept the audience's interest afloat with zen-like tunes. Although lyric-less, the music told a story in itself. A highlight of the show was when Cappell and Satori faced off on guitar and drums while a 3-round video game battle was projected on the screen behind them. Satori accompanied Jakes on stage more than once donning costumes alongside her, adding to the visual assault throughout the show. For anyone who loves an intricate live show, this is the band to see.
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