I took an interest in
Icky Blossoms because of a disturbing still photograph taken from the first scene of a video for their latest single,
In Folds. The video was described as explicit, and not for the faint of heart. It also featured the band members in starring roles; not actors. Of course I was hooked. I had to watch it.
A willowy blond woman- the singer- is kidnapped by a group of burly, hairy men and thrown in the back of a van. They put a sack over her head and drive her to an undisclosed location. (Already I’m disturbed). When the van stops and they finally remove her blindfold, she is confronted with the vision of her band- beaten and bruised- and a horde of menacing, hungry looking transvestites. These men- who can best be described as Bears (Google it; it’s not a football team)- are amateur transvestites at best; none of them have bothered to shave their body hair, wear girdles, or learn how to apply makeup properly. All the bewigged ones are blondes. The band is forced to perform
In Folds, from their newly released second album
Mask. They don’t look comfortable, but they do a great job. Midway through the song, in a crude parody of crowd surfing, the singer is forcibly removed from the stage. When her bandmates try to help her they are removed as well. What follows is at best described as disturbing, at worst as gruesome. The band is dismembered and eaten alive by their hungry fans.
Once I saw this video I fell in love with the song
In Folds. After hearing a few more songs, mostly from Icky Blossoms’ self titled debut, I was hooked. I
had to see this band perform live. I got my chance on May 13, 2015 on the rooftop of the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA (with closing band
L00K).
Nik Fackler
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Electropop band Icky Blossoms formed in Omaha, Nebraska. The group features Sarah Bohling on synth & lead vocals, Derek Pressnall on guitar/synth & vocals, Nik Fackler on guitar & vocals, Ryan Menchaca on drums, and a new addition- the delightful Keith Rodger- on bass.
They make high energy, fast paced, synth laden cascades of sound electricity. In other words, they make you dance.
Founding members Sarah, Nik and Derek met through Omaha’s art scene, although Derek is originally from Atlanta. Another Icky Blossoms Georgia connection is their shared billing on several tour dates this year with Athens’ of Montreal, including a May 14 show at The Masquerade (Heaven level) in Atlanta. Icky Blossoms are touring in support of their new album
Mask, released on May 12; the day before this show.
Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes was in attendance at the Icky Blossoms rooftop show. I spoke to him briefly, reminiscing about the last time I show him play, back in the mid 90s at the (now defunct) Atomic Music Hall in Athens, when of Montreal was a newly emerging band.
Sarah places her keyboard sideways toward the audience. Another keyboard abuts hers, also sideways and available for Derek when he plays synth.
Nik displays frenetic, infectious movement and energy onstage. He dances and plays guitar all at once, complementing Sarah’s simultaneous sway with synth and vocals. The band’s pulsing lights and their placement behind him often made Nik’s hair light up like a huge blue afro. I was able to capture a pretty cool photo as a result.
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fast, pulsating, dance-driven
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The pace was fast, pulsating, dance-driven… and then the band slowed down into
Perfect Vision, a type of ballad I’d never heard on their previous album. There were minimal drums; tambourine mostly held the beat, along with synth-perfect hand claps during the end refrain.
Here is a taste of the dreamy chorus:
“Wo wo wo wo wo wo wo wo, nothing to do but get high in the afternoon.”
This is male and female singing in perfect unison, voices intertwining. This is the buttery promise of love and sex forever in a post-apocalyptic world. This is a song that will stay with you and maybe even haunt you, the kind of song you sway & swoon to.
My favorite song of the night was
Sex to the Devil, from the band’s self titled debut album. The lyrics are:
“Church to God,
God to the Universe,
the Universe to Art,
Art to Drugs,
Drugs to Sex,
Sex to the Devil.
To the devil, to the devil,
to the devil, to the devil.”
The song pulls you in with its litany of
art- to
drugs- to
sex- building and building and, of course- there are southern roots in this songwriter- leading to
the devil.
This building up of sharp exhalations of spoken words whipped the intimate yet devoted crowd into a dancing frenzy. I had to put away my camera and my notes and dance with them.
Icky Blossoms' latest album
Mask is out now on Saddle Creek.
The band just wrapped up touring with of Montreal, but their next show will be at No Coast Music Festival at Westfair Amphitheater in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on June 2, 2015.
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