George Clanton @ Paradise Rock Club 5/5
Photography by Liana Snow
Review by Jacob Risch
As I entered Paradise Rock Club on a misty Monday night, I was greeted by a familiar scene. Those massive, horribly-placed columns, moody, dark blue lighting, and a crowd of mostly 20-somethings, milling about before the show. We were all here to see one man, George Clanton. One of the few prolific artists remaining from the 2010s vaporwave scene, Clanton consistently pushed the boundaries of vaporwave to such an extent that he’s completely broken free from the genre. With the release of his first album “100% Electronica,” he started a record label of the same name which has grown to be the largest vaporwave record label.
His music is impossible to pin down. Exemplified by spacey, melancholic lyrics atop delicate synth lines and booming drums, Clanton’s music lies somewhere in the liminal space between vaporwave, hypnagogic pop, and indie. His music is evocative. It manages to feel nostalgic while feeling entirely new. His sound is like an ‘80s pop ballad with the experimental attitude of the late ‘60s and the technology of the 2010s. Coming off the release of his album “Fauxllennium,” a collaboration with fellow indie group TV Girl, Clanton embarked on the George Clanton Forever tour. He came to Boston to perform “at his prime, right before his inevitable decline.”
Opening for Clanton was LA-based artist Slater. His sound was reminiscent of an early 2000s club hit. In the same vein as artists such as Brent Faiyez and Tommy Richman, Slater straddles the line between experimental and club ready RnB/Pop. Although the beats were on point, the rest of his songs left a bit to be desired, often sounding cheesy rather than the braggadocio that’s characteristic of his genre. Nevertheless Slater got the crowd going and based on the crowd’s knowledge of the lyrics, seemed to have a sizable following of his own. After a 30 minute set, he left the stage to make way for Clanton.
At about 9:00 PM, George Clanton took the stage and was struck with immediate technical difficulties. His lighting setup, a wall of LEDs programmed to display various patterns, lyrics, and random pictures, wasn’t properly connected to his computer. Clanton vamped for a bit, talking about how much he loved Boston, how his opener Slater was “just as hot if not a little sluttier” than Clanton’s wife and fellow labelmate, Neggy Gemmy who’d opened for him on the first half of the tour.
He remarked that he was glad he’d only taken two tequila shots before the start of the show. Clanton walked around the stage and interacted with the audience with the swagger of someone truly in his own world. Multiple times during the show he talked about how good his own singing was. After a few minutes figuring out his lights, he launched into the opening song: “Livin’ Loose.” The room was filled with dreamy synth pads and vocals with heavy reverb. Clanton’s use of live vocal effects gave the music a trance-like effect while his drummer, Anya Good, laid down tight drum grooves.
Clanton’s live renditions brought more energy to what is otherwise chill music. I was curious to see how he would interpret his primarily electronic music to a live setting. For most of the show, it was him controlling a backing track while Good provided drums and he provided vocals. On a few songs he whipped out a guitar that he “couldn’t play right” and jammed along. It’s clear what he wanted from his set, energy and attention. Multiple times during the show he chastised the audience for recording songs on their phone rather than dancing. He jumped in the crowd practically every 10 minutes and ignited the audience with his close, often very physical interactions. At one point he was given a gold watch, he lost his sunglasses multiple times, he sprayed water into the crowd, he cursed, he yelled. George Clanton’s stage presence is unmatched and unhinged.
Although he was sloppy at times, Clanton’s show was fun, energetic, and memorable. He knows his audience and takes pride in his own music. His attitude walks the line between serious and irreverent. He took the audience on a journey through his extensive catalogue and put his all in every song, from the club-ready dance numbers to the slow, dreamy, electric soundscapes. For his encore he brought out a large inflatable figure and threw it into the crowd, one last bid to soak up energy from an already ebullient crowd. Regardless of your thoughts on his music, Clanton’s show is an experience that is not to be missed.