A revolution of the dancing sort
Louisville band VHS OR BETA played
Bogart’s over the weekend.

Lindsay Slocum
Asst. Diversions Editor

It has been only a year since the release of VHS OR BETA’s Astralwerks debut, Night on Fire. But in that short year, they have seen the result of years of hard work. The band recently completed a European tour and has been noted by Rolling Stone magazine as an "Artist to Watch," and one of the "100 Bands You Need to Know in 2005" by AP.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY SLOCUM Lead singer Craig Pfunder rockin’ out.

On Saturday night, VHS OR BETA turned Bogart’s into a dance party like it had never seen before. It is difficult to believe that the band responsible for this blend of ‘70s disco beats, Robert Smith vocals, Japanese noisecore, and ‘90s French house came from our neighbor to the south, Louisville, Ky.

Mark Palgy, the bassist, said, "On our tour in France, they called what we have the ‘French touch.’ We definitely draw a strong influence from French house music. It was something we had never heard before. There was definitely a rock sound to it. But when we started, you couldn’t do what we do without being called a ‘raver’ or a techno-freak," he said.

Things have changed. After groundbreakers such as Daft Punk, it is difficult to accuse someone of being a techno-freak when we were all nodding our heads to "One More Time." There was certainly no name-calling on Saturday at Bogart’s.

Making conversation in the around-the-block line before the show, many admitted they had never heard of VHS OR BETA and were there to see headliners The Faint. But judging from the sweaty bump-bump during the band’s set and all of the edited Myspace profiles the next day, the band has a long list of new Cincinnati fans.

"If we’re lucky, all of our shows turn into one giant dance party. In the United States, the scene is changing. People are coming with more open minds, unlike Europe, where it is just catching on. People are starting to lose their inhibitions. Sometimes people are worried about looking stupid, but everyone looks stupid," said Palgy.

Europe may have a strong Saturday night fever headed its way, after VHS OR BETA’s successful European tour hitting legendary festivals such as Pukkelpop, Reading and Leeds, and Bestival.

"Our first European tour was very low key, hitting nightclubs where there was maybe a DJ followed by a band and then another DJ. We were dealing with a very unfamiliar audience. This time, we hit more festivals, such as Reading and Leeds. We were playing in front of audiences of 2,500 or more people. There was really a great response. There’s a really strong music scene," he said.

Tuesday the re-mastered version of VHS OR BETA’s debut album Le Funk was re-released. Originally self-released in 2002, VHS OR BETA is seeking to do the album justice that they could not afford when the album was initially released.

"We’re giving Le Funk what it deserves," said Palgy. "I admit, we were really green when we originally released it, and we’re still paying for it."

The band is also out to prove it is not on any bandwagon: "We want to let people know we aren’t just part of some ‘80s revival movement," said Palgy.

This is the real VHS OR BETA. This is the sound they love and the music they make. They will make you unashamed of shaking your booty in your car seat with your windows down and your neighbors staring.