Show Review : Sleigh Bells lay waste to the Metro in Chicago

By Colette Custin

SB article

Genre-bending duo Sleigh Bells laid waste to the Metro stage on Thursday in support of their new album, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, marking a welcome return to Chicago for one of the most unique acts out there.

Singer Alexis Krauss is like a one-woman fireball onstage, and she ventured into the crowd more than once during the band’s seventeen song set. Drummer Chris Hornbrook and keyboardist Kate Steinberg round out the band’s live lineup these days, adding the right amount of heft to their overall sound, which combines elements of metal, pop, hip hop, and everything in between.

“We have played this stage many times, and every time feels like a gift,” Krauss noted early in the set, breathless from her constant dancing and crowd-rousing. New tracks like “Bunky Pop” and “Wanna Start A Band” leaned more firmly into edgy pop territory and were nicely complimented by tunes like “Kids” and “Comeback Kid” from their earlier records. Guitarist Derek Miller has helped evolve the band’s sound nicely, and Sleigh Bells continue to be one of the most electrifying live bands out there.

Rapper/vocalist Sophie Hunter led things off with a rambunctious set of quirky hip-hop.