Blouse, live @ Six D.O.G.S (Athens, December 16, 2013)

Just before we start posting our various year-end lists, here’s a look at Blouse’s first ever gig in Athens, our last live report for 2013.

The Portland, Oregon, band’s Greek live debut was the last date on its December European tour and took place just a day after the Dum Dum Girls’ concert in the city, the band that they will be touring with next year (and which we spotted in the audience on this night).

Blouse presented tracks from both their albums, the more electronic-leaning self-titled debut from 2011 and the more guitar-friendly new one, "Imperium". Regardless of what instruments take the upper hand in each track, it’s Charlie Hilton’s soft, melodic voice that lures the listener in and captivates attention. It’s the type of singing that would fit perfectly at the heart of a shoegaze guitar storm, but Blouse’s sound tends to lean more towards the new wave and synthpop darkness of the early '80s, defined by driving bass lines and metronomic drum rhythms that propel the atmospheric guitar or synth-based melodies.

Blouse’s thoroughly enjoyable hour-long set included the following songs: Imperium, Eyesight, They Always Fly Away, Firestarter, In a Glass, Fountain in Rewind, 1000 Years, No Shelter, Time Travel, White, Arrested, Into Black, Videotapes. Encore: Shadow 

Check out below Blouse performing "In a Glass" for their fans in Athens:

Blouse - In a Glass (live @ 6 DOGS, Dec. 16, 2013)

And since this was the year’s final gig for us, here is the reel of our live highlights for 2013, including performances by Metz, The Twilight Sad, Paul Banks, Psychic Ills, The Men, The Soft Moon, Anika, Prince Rama, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Savages, Swans, Girls Names, Fucked Up, Death Grips, Light Asylum, Allah Las, The Last Drive, The Dream Syndicate, Parquet Courts, Beach Fossils, Iceage, Esben and the Witch, Still Corners, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Black Angels, Dum Dum Girls and Blouse - a pretty good line-up, methinks. Enjoy 2 hours of live music from Athens and London through Cool Music Central's lenses:

2013 Live: The Gigs of the Year