The Horde and the Harem

To See Rating 3.5/10
Just Curious Rating 3.0/10

Band Members

The Harem: Lisa Dank: Vocals
The Horde:Ryder: Vocals, Keys – Badger: Percussion – Thor: Bass, Guitar – Noble: Guitar

The Horde and the Harem was an enigma in that their greatest asset was also their weakest link — The Harem. If The Horde stood alone as a band of four, their talent would be arguably solid, but they wouldn’t be anything to write home about. With the Harem, The Horde has an audacious center piece. At the show under review, The Harem came with high-voltage shock value, but her musical talent was sporadic at best.

At the debut performance of The Horde and The Harem, Lisa Dank was reminiscent of the character Lina Lamont from “Singing in the Rain.” What is the connection between the burlesque Harem and a 1951 fictional movie star? In “Singing in the Rain,” Lina Lamont was a movie star in the era of silent films. She was gorgeous, a great performer, and not to be reckoned with. But, when silent films became obsolete, so did Lina Lamont — her voice was atrocious! The only way to save the shrew’s career when silent films transitioned into musicals was to have a double perform her vocals while she lip-synced. In regards to our modern day shrew, her magnitude of  force was focused more on stage presence than vocal skill. The majority of her vocals landed as if she wasn’t even looking for a particular note. It was almost as if Lisa didn’t care to sing, but since she was on stage, it was obligatory for her to make some  contribution other than dancing. It might be harsh to say that Lisa Dank stank, but it is fair to say that “her many talents” are served better away from microphone.

On the plus side, the audacity of Lisa Dank’s stage presence made it impossible for the crowd to tear their eyes off of her. Her level of commitment was fierce; there were moments when she was rocking so hard, she nearly broke her own neck. She gave herself to the music as if she were a human sacrifice. Her appeal was for those who were intrigued with the overtly sexy; she put it out there with no shame. Whether Lisa Dank will get far in this industry remains to be seen; it wouldn’t be a surprise if she succeeds — sex sells.

As far as the rest of the band was concerned, Ryder was the other stand out. He had very compelling vocals and clean keys. The rest of the band was good support. All together, they gave an entertaining show.

Please enjoy footage from The Horde and the Harem’s debut performance at Neumos.

The Horde and the Harem on Myspace

Upcoming Shows
July 31 2009 9:00P High Dive Seattle, WA
Aug 20 2009 8:00P Slims San Francisco, CA
Aug 26 2009 8:00P High Dive Seattle, WA