Everyone wants to be Karen O. The somewhat obvious female successor to the Mick Jagger throne wooed and dazzeld the sold out Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Az with over an hour of punky/electro/art-rock bliss this past Monday night in support of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs latest effort, It’s Blitz!.

Arguably the best mainstream act to emerge from New York in near a decade, the YYY’s have continually pushed the envelope towards the brink of indie stardom. Now on their 3rd full-length release, it’s quite apparent the trio have finally hit their mark; easily making the transition from the club circuit to larger music halls around the country. Though make no mistake, as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs need make no apologies based on a lack of intimacy.

Though not pretty by media standards, it is near impossible to look away from the sincere beauty conveyed during the YYY’s June 8th set. Between frequent accessory changes, interactive backdrop, and at times, coy demeanor, Karen, along with guitarist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase effectively turned the Tempe venue into a drunken high school dance party. Beginning with the psychedelic/electro-ridden “Shame and Fortune” before jumping into older favorites “Black Tongue”, “Pin”, & “Gold Lion”, Karen and company successfully pummeled the crowd into post-rock oblivion with an eclectic assortment of material spanning the whole of their discography. Newer singles “Zero” & “Heads Will Roll” saw the audience erupt into a sea of tangled flesh and confetti while the hit, “Maps” engorged the sold out crowd in an all out sing-along amidst the 4 song encore. At the end of it all, there could be little doubt as to the merit of the three piece’s “Rock Star” title.

Yet, there really is something to be said about an act capable of interacting so effectively with its fans on such a large scale. Through the course of the evening the YYY’s proved themselves not only worthy of the critical acclaim they’ve received since their inception but also their rabid fan base, which to date shows no signs of receding. Rest assured, that we might still comfort ourselves in knowing that the vitality and unabashed freedom of rock music continues to remain intact and available within the endorsement of artists such as Karen O and her Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And thank heavens, indeed!

• SETLIST:
• Shame and Fortune
• Black Tongue
• Human Fly/Down Boy
• Phenomena
• Dull Life
• Gold Lion
• Heads Will Roll
• Miles Away
• Skeletons
• Hysteric
• Pin
• Zero
• Y Control
• ENCORE
• Cheated Hearts
• Maps
• Tick
• Date with the Night

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Live at The Marquee Theatre from ALONSO MURILLO on Vimeo