Cindy Lee, Freak Heat Waves, Now
Thee Stork Club
2330 Telegraph Ave. Oakland
April 17th, 2024
On my way to Thee Stork Club, I could tell who was headed there by the heavy tattoos, DIY haircuts, and jean jackets. The show was completely sold out, and the club’s dark, moody rooms and halls teemed with patient fans.
The venue’s website categorized Cindy Lee, who headlined Wednesday night, as “punk.” Based on the diverse and eclectic artist biography, “high atmospherics and bracing melodies – a unique space where splendor naturally collides with experimentation,” and the event description, I figured the genre was being used as a catch-all term. I prepared my ears for something new.
I arrived just before Freak Heat Waves took the stage, and could barely see since the average height of a hipster sits a good six to eight inches above my humble 5’4” stature. I wondered about the introvertedness of Canadian duo Steven Lind and Thomas Di Ninno, as they had set up their beat machines and mixers facing each other instead of the audience. The synth was the ether and the kick, the match that lit it all on fire. The effects on the lead vocal gave a dusty quality as if sand was being kicked up around every word.
I don’t mind when the lead singer’s vocals aren’t mixed like pop vocals — loud, clear, and protruding through all other instruments. Unfortunately the lyrics were barely decipherable until at least halfway into the set, when Lind caught the eye of the mixing engineer and motioned his pointer finger upwards, the only time he faced the thick crowd. The psychedelic 90 bpm-ish beats were groovy, and Freak Heat Waves had us sweltering from electronic noise and body heat.
Cindy Lee had a vintage aesthetic about them. Lee seemed guarded by their jet black beehive wig, lipstick, and lashes. The rouge was so heavy it was just about the only thing I could see clearly from the very back of the room. They were chewing gum, a rare sight from a lead singer.
“I’m Cindy Lee I’m from Calgary, Alberta, and I’m happy to be here with you tonight” was essentially all we got outside of the set list tracks. The music was slow and melty, the energy pretty relaxed besides a couple of plucky guitar riff moments. The affection Cindy Lee had for their crunchy electric guitar was evident.
I particularly loved the mid ‘00s alternative vibe in “Always Dreaming,” reminiscent of the Baltimore band Beach House, but with darker lyrical content.
I’m off the track
I’m only dreaming
Things aren’t as awful as they’re seeming
I could hear the Supremes influence Lee mentioned in their bio in the track “If You Hear Me Crying.” While I enjoyed the tunes, what stood out to me was the circumstances around their performance. The minimal talking between tracks, the costumed character. Cindy Lee had begun playing at about 11pm so when the set came down at around 11:35pm, the faithful fans groaned, “Short set!” “Encore already?!” and “That’s like two bucks a song!” There were medium cheers and the stage went quiet as Cindy Lee snuck off.
I left a bit perplexed, however upon further research, I learned this was a farewell tour from the Realistik Studios website:
“THIS WILL BE CINDY’S LAST AMERICAN TOUR. A KLASSIK POWER VANITY TRIP SITUATION. SHE WILL BE RUNNING IT HOT AND KEEPING IT L‑I-T‑E.”
Not your average “punk” show. I guess the true fans should have known what to expect.
