The Chameleons at Webster Hall
Trailblazing post-punk band, The Chameleons, released their first studio album in 1983 and have been sharing their music with the world ever since. Their latest EP, “Where Are You?” was released this past May ahead of an upcoming full length album.
The band consists of Mark Burgess (vocals and bass), Reg Smithies (guitar), Danny Ashberry (keys), Stephen Rice (guitar), and Todd Demma (drums). Hailing from the UK, The Chameleons played their headlining New York City show at Webster Hall.
Photo via Tori McGraw (@afterr.hourrs)
Lights in Webster Hall went dark. A low hum of a distorted sound played as the band members walked onto the stage. Fans cheered as each person took their place and began to set up. The crowd’s decibels grew even louder as Mark Burgess walked up to the front of the stage. He held his cherry red Gibson SG bass in front of his black vest. “It feels so good to be back here,” he said as the band kicked into, “Mad Jack.”
Todd Demma steadily hit the drums and effortlessly kept the beat as if robotic. Reg Smithies passionately strummed his guitar. When there was a brief pause in a song, he would strum down on the bridge of his guitar and pull his hand up towards the sky. Danny Ashberry wore a clean blazer and nodded his head to the beat, occasionally lip-synching the words to the song when he wasn’t providing backing vocals. Stephen Rice energetically played his guitar as he laid down the chords that supported the guitar riffs. He moved with the notes he played, often seen pacing to the tempo. When he wasn’t holding down his part of the rhythm section, Burgess acted out the lyrics that he sang. His hands would reach up towards the sky as if pulling down something imaginary towards him, pointing at the audience during a passionate lyric, or faking a shiver in the cold with his arms wrapped tightly around his body.
Photo via Tori McGraw (@afterr.hourrs)
A few songs into their set, the band picked up the slow opening riff of “Swamp Things.” With its rhythmic intro and repeating guitar riff, it almost felt like it was keeping time like a metronome. Within seconds of the intro, the audience erupted in excitement and cheers as the song live had an unexplainable energy that hooked everyone in. Every head in the audience was nodding to the beat. People lining the long upper balcony were dancing with the extra space around them.
The Chameleons moved through their discography, playing songs including “Seriocity” and “Tears.” The audience somehow became even more locked into their set, eyes glued to the stage. The group was able to continuously reel in the audience and keep them intrigued as to what would come next.
As the band finished “Ever After,” they set down their instruments and quickly walked off the stage, out of view. The crowd was unsettled and wasn’t ready to let the night end as the audience cheered until the band shuffled back out onto the stage and grabbed their instruments like they never put them down. The group effortlessly began playing “Where Are You?” After their multi-song encore and ending with “Don’t Fall,” the band took in the cheers from the rowdy audience before stepping off stage once and for all.
