Hot Chip @ the Mod Club

"These guys are neither hot nor chip." - J., as Hot Chip took the stage

The fellas in Hot Chip may look like the unlikeliest electronic Britpop stars (various members taking their fashion cues from Bill Cosby, Weird Al and the Thunderbirds) but they rocked nonetheless last night. I'd compared them to the Postal Service, but the set was closer to Depeche Mode and New Order's dramatic brand of synth-pop.

The arrangements were all different from the album -- only slightly different, mind you, and richer, unlike Fiery Furnaces' impenetrable 30-minute medley last week -- and kept the sold-out audience guessing. I liked how everyone, except the drummer, was aligned in a row at the front of the stage so that there wasn't a frontman despite one band member filling most of the lead vocal duties. There was singing, goofy dancing, and the playing of synths, guitars, cowbells, congas and maracas. It was all good.

Opening (and local) band Born Ruffians must have been called in at the last minute, because their forgettable guitar-driven indie rock was mismatched with Hot Chip's electropop. (Huh. I just checked their website and they're opening for Hot Chip for the entire US tour.)

The Born Ruffians -- well, they didn't look like ruffians. They looked like they were barely old enough to shave. The trio performed well and with a lot of enthusiasm, but I think they need a few more years to grow and find their sound. We amused ourselves during their set by imagining the boys practicing in the basement, only to be interrupted by someone's mother bringing down Sunny Delight and freshly baked cookies. "Moooomm... rock stars don't drink Sunny D. Rock stars drink beer!"

Born Ruffians website
Born Ruffians on MySpace
Hot Chip website
Hot Chip on MySpace
"Over and Over" on YouTube