Local H at le Poisson Rouge

Local H started as a quartet in 1990 in Zion, Illinois, but the departure of two founding members in 1991 and 1993 reduced the band to a duo. In order to sustain the alternative rock band with diminished personnel, vocalist/guitarist Scott Lucas had his guitar modified with an added bass pickup and second output so he could produce bass sounds while playing guitar. Lucas performs with drummer Ryan Harding, who replaced the previous percussionist in 2013.

Local H had a 30th anniversary tour planned to coincide with the 2020 release of its ninth studio album, Lifers. The pandemic shutdown forced a postponement, however. Local H's Lifers Retour 2021 finally arrived at le Poisson Rouge on October 27, with a rowdy opening set by Radkey.

Local H's stage was sparse, with the drum kit brought to the front on stage right and a semicircle of guitar pedals on stage left. Radkey's amplifiers and a microphone were left against the back wall, a clear indication that Local H would invite the support band onstage later in the performance. Lucas and Harding took their positions as the audience cheered, and within moments, a wall of thrashing vocals, guitar feedback and drum bashing filled the room.

The duo's alt-rock was fast and thunderous from the first screech of Lucas' effects-laden guitar work. Lucas moderated his vocals for several lines of lyrics, then often whipped into a shout or a primal scream. Lucas has a penchant for clamor so, several times throughout the night, he leaned his guitar to the amplifiers for additional atonal feedback. His partner in noise pounded the drums so hard that it rattled everything nearby. The intensity rarely let up except when Lucas stopped momentarily to change guitars and say a few words to the audience.

Local H performed seven songs from Lifers, seven songs from previous albums, and three covers. The cover of Looking Glass 1972 pop hit "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" may have been a joke, but the band did interesting takes on Blondie's "Dreaming" and TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me." The latter two songs were part of the encore, and Radkey joined Local H onstage for the final song, singing and playing guitar, bass and hand percussion.

Local H survived the post-grunge era. Now 30 years beyond its initial splash in the alternative rock scene, the band remains true to its original sound and maintains a fervent fan base. This fan base gets to meet him after every show without purchasing a meet-and-greet upgrade, because Lucas usually works the merchandise table after a Local H concert.

Setlist

1. Patrick Bateman
2. All the Kids Are Right
3. All-Right (Oh, Yeah)
4. Beyond the Valley of Snakes
5. Turn the Bow
6. Fritz's Corner
7. Winter Western
8. Freeze-Dried (F)lies
9. Hold That Thought
10. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) (Looking Glass cover)
11. California Songs
12. Sunday Best
13. Defy and Surrender
14. High-Fiving MF

Encore:

1. Dreaming (Blondie cover)
2. Bound for the Floor (with Dee Radkey on guitar and vocals)
3. Wolf Like Me (TV on the Radio cover, with Radkey)

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. All photographs are by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise. For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music." For a listing of upcoming concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's November 2021 calendar.