Mardi

by Jillian Firnhaber

World music provacateurs Beats Antique will play tonight at The Howlin' Wolf, joining Pretty Lights and Sleigh Bells as part of the recent dearth of electronic headliners to play in NOLA. With their mix of bass-driven electronic and sensual belly-dancing tunes, they're the perfect creepy-sexy way to let off some of your simmering pre-Halloween steam.

Founded in San Francisco in 2007 David Satori, Beats Antique draws heavily from Satori's travels across West Africa. Sharing the musical heavy-lifting is drummer Tommy Cappel. Both Satori and Cappel are classically-trained multi-instrumentalists (Satori studied at California Institute for the Aets while Cappel attended Berklee College of Music) who strive to mesh the electronic and acoustic in their indulgent stage shows which draw heavily on Middle Eastern sounds. Rounding out the trio is the impossibly cool belly dancer, Zoe Jakes.

Beats Antique is known for their artistic, and often surreal live shows. In one memorable show the band members dressed as Cupid and Pegasus and flew on wires, sprinkling confetti on the crowd. In another they all wore animal masks. Rather than the typical electronic shows which feature one or two ironically tattooed DJs behind turntables, Beats Antique has always fought to make their show just as compelling for the eyes as for the ears. Their group of traveling dancers ebbs and flows and only adds to band's Carnival vibe.

Bellydancer Jakes has become the focal point for the Beats Antique live shows. It was her involvement with Miles Copeland (brother of the Police's Stewart Copeland) which led to the formation of the band. Although originally intended to be a studio-only band, West Coast fans demanded live performances. In addition to her role as the resident show-stealer with Beats Antique, Jakes holds belly-dancing workshops around the country.

Beats Antique released Contraception v.II in on September 19, 2012. They have played at Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapolooza, and Red Rocks, but have gone on record that Howlin' Wolf is one of their favorite venues to perform in. This is a show not to be missed!