Protomartyr with Melkbelly @ Raccoon Motel - Davenport, Iowa
Photos and words courtesy of Alyssa Leicht | October 11th 2021
The Wikipedia page for Joe Casey, lead singer of Detroit-based rock band Protomartyr, describes him as having an “anti-charismatic” stage presence. But after having witnessed his November 10th performance at the 175-cap Raccoon Motel in Davenport, Iowa, I think it’s safe to say that’s an incomplete description, at best.
Standing mostly in place, perpetually gripping a sweating can of Miller Lite, Joe Casey isn’t just anti-charisma – he’s intense and challenging, and at times engages personally with the audience, locking eyes with individuals in an artsy game of chicken. The captivating performance perfectly embodied the range and poetics of Protomartyr’s songs. Their set was fittingly bookended by the thrashing number “Processed by the Boys” and its musical opposite, the haunting elegy “Worm in Heaven.”
Melkbelly, garage-rock band from Chicago, opened the night with a grungy set that often dissolved into art-rock noise. Their style and performance gestured toward the Breeders, whose co-founder, Kelly Deal, joined Protomartyr on keys, vocals, and percussion during their set and elevated their songs through subtle textures and experimental feature parts.
The setting of Sean Moeller’s Raccoon Motel made the experience that much better for this show, providing a moody and intimate club environment packed with funky art and retro decor, and a separate bar area and listening room for a more focused and uninterrupted show experience. If you ever have a night in the quad cities, I highly recommend checking this place out, even if you don’t know the band who’s playing. They routinely have a stacked show schedule that doesn’t disappoint.
