Everything You Need To Know This Week On New York's Art Scene

NYC Music Scene: Biffy Clyro at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Biffy Clyro was recently referred to as "The Most Important Band of the 21st Century," and it's not hard to see why. While we won't go making the same grand claims, we will say that we caught the Scottish trio live at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday and were glad to see the spirit of rock 'n' roll completely alive and well. The sold-out show saw an eclectic crowd of all ages—and accents. (Since Biffy have been hit-makers across the pond for years, it wasn't surprising to see some fans from their native UK.) But whether they were from Brooklyn or Britain, show-goers shared one common phrase: "Mon the Biff!" Shirtless from the start, guitarist and lead vocalist Simon Neil, bassist James Johnston and drummer Ben Johnston, arrived on stage ready to sweat. And when a band plays as true and tirelessly as they do, it wasn't long before they were soaked. Kicking off with the glittering "Different People," the first track off their 2013 album Opposites, Biffy slid into a set list that truly displayed their diversity and growth over the years. From the radio-friendly "Black Chandelier," also off of Opposites, to the more unruly fan favorite "Glitter & Trauma" circa 2004's Infinity Land, the rockers' range is broad but honest, and definitely impressive enough to get them noticed by new American fans. Twitching into the intro of "Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies," Neil secured his stage presence as a genuine rock star, white jeans slung low and heavy ink shining colorfully in the spotlight—a wild vision complemented on the opposite end of the spectrum by his haunting acoustic performance of "Folding Stars." One of the most refreshing moments of the night occurred with the opening riffs of "The Captain," when the room organically surged into mosh-mode. There was nothing contrived about it, nothing urged by the band, it was simply the force of their sound. And with most of today's emerging rock artists erring on the side of subdued, it was thrilling to experience the bone-rattling riffs and gravity-defying on-stage antics of musicians who hold nothing back. [Photos via Diffuser, via]