NXNE - Les Savy Fav

When Les Savy Fav front-man Tim Harrington started dramatically decorating himself in protective rollerblading gear and streaking his cheeks with eye black, the anticipatory crowd knew they were in for something special. "I'd like to apologize," he professed, "to the soft mosses and tiny prehistoric bunnies that once populated this space, 'cause tonight we're gonna defile this land." Live, Harrington is typically manic, but on this night, he was truly a man possessed: after half-hanging from the bar's light fixtures as he walked along handrails (kicking over fans' drinks all the while), the shirtless singer tried in vain to embalm himself in toilet paper, only to have it constantly tear as it rounded his sweat-drenched body. Harrington's commitment to mayhem often came at the cost of his singing voice, but the band ably carried the songs without him: "Patty Lee" was as groovy as ever, while "The Equestrian," "Yawn Yawn Yawn" and "Blackouts on Thursday" all maintained their frantic energy and angular riffs. By the time Les Savy Fav were finished, the crowd was visibly drained, every member wearing a stupid, sleepy grin. They had all, in one way or another, been defiled, and not a single person seemed to mind.