Captain Ahab – “Acting Hard”- Live- Sync Space- Los Angeles- 6/10/10 from Samantha Cornwell on Vimeo.

Los Angeles’s Captain Ahab played the last slot on the night that I taped Run DMT and Blissed Out. Before their set, we made our way down Melrose Ave to pick up some water. About a block or so away from Synchronicity Space, there is a gay club called Fault Line. When you walk past, you are likely to hear a persistent, loud disco beat. On one memorable occasion, we walked past and heard a Diva crooning loudly about all of the positions she was willing to try, and all of the places that she was willing to try them. Although I’m not quite in the target demographic for Fault Line, it seems like a place where someone could have the time of their life.

As we walked past the club on our way back to the show, we spotted a gentleman standing sheepishly by the entrance. He was very clean cut, and wore khakis with a military crewcut up top. His body language suggested that he was very apprehensive about entering, perhaps as a result of some sort of shame. This was further emphasized by the look of horror on his face when he saw us walk by. I wanted to hug him, and tell him that he should go dance his ass off without fear. Unfortunately, I had to hurry back to Sync Space before Captain Ahab’s set, so the hug never materialized.

While Captain Ahab was getting into the thick of their live show zone, I couldn’t help but think of my friend, the apprehensive Fault Line patron. It seemed as though what I was seeing and hearing was some sort of illustration of the fear and fascination that might be going on in his head. Let me explain: Captain Ahab is made up of two young men. When they play live, one of them sings over manic beats and warped samples, while the other strips down to a skimpy speedo, dances, and grinds up against the male members of the audience. By the end of the evening, both band members will usually have taken off their shirts. You could describe Captain Ahab as a party band, seeing as audience participation is a very big part of their act. But unlike other bands in that category, discomfort is a central part of the Captain Ahab experience. They serve up an interesting counterpoint to Blissed Out, whose sample-driven music evokes a utopian club experience. Captain Ahab, who have been staples of the LA scene for years, create a dance environ that asks us to embrace awkwardness and (often homoerotic) discomfort. It’s the kind of party you never forget. Next time I see my friend with the crew cut, I’ll tell him to check them out.

Video: Samantha Cornwell
Words: Samantha Cornwell

Tags: Captain Ahab, Synchronicty Space

This entry was posted on Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 5:47 pm and is filed under Sightings, Uncategorized, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.