When bassist Matt Borlik parted ways with Q and Not U six months ago, the dynamic of one of D.C.’s most compelling bands shifted significantly, reducing the outfit from a quartet to a trio. The reconfigured Q went down some new paths during a show at the Black Cat Friday night, but did so with a strategy---the relentless attack---that has been a hallmark of their existence.
Concentrating mainly on new compositions, guitarists/singers Chris Richards and Harris Klahr and drummer John Davis churned with galvanizing post-punk energy, and though their trio sound occasionally lacked elasticity, their unflagging drive always overcame any rigidity. Richards proved the trio’s fulcrum, playing bass on several new songs, keyboards and maracas on a striking version of “Soft Pyramids” (from their new EP “On Play Patterns”), and gnashing his guitar in contrast to Klahr’s snarling lines on “A Line in the Sand”, which crackled with bass-less, punk percolation. The band also came up with an ominous, buzzing version of “Kiss Distinctly American” that hinted at an exciting down-tempo trio sound. Despite some new material that still sounded underdeveloped, Q and Not U still left the impression that their realignment will continue their stream of invigorating music making.
Preceding act (and Q and Not U labelmates) El Guapo played a fine set, translating vibes from their excellent Dischord album “Super/System” into a series of propulsive, off-kilter buzzes and chirps.
Washington Post, 2002
