Mindless Self Indulgence at Irving Plaza

Vocalist Jimmy Urine came off the stage mid-song
to engage (or confront?) his audience

Mindless Self Indulgence (also known as MSI) formed in New York in 1997 with the intention of making aggressive music that was fun, shocking and maybe even a bit ridiculous. Vocalist Jimmy Urine writes sarcastic and biting songs, many with titles that can not be printed in most family publications. Meanwhile, guitarist Steve, Righ?, bassist Lyn-Z and drummer Kitty play a mixed style incorporating elements of punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno, industrial and hip hop. The band’s longevity is rooted in a loyal cult audience with dark sense of humor that has followed the band’s quirky music and high-powered stage antics.

I did not know any of this when I walked into Irving Plaza tonight. Given the time needed for an on-site learning curve, I remained puzzled much of the time as to what was the attraction to this colorful band. The audience appeared to be more than a collection of fans; it was more like an assembly of MSI devotees. The music and the musicianship were performed interestingly in that they covered a vast ground without taking ownership of any particular genre. The key was personality. Urine self-mockingly was intentionally odd-looking and odd-moving, and spent most of the concert engaging the audience in his energetic performance and in his between-song banter, much of which was him comically insulting his fans. To enjoy an MSI experience, a sense of humor is required and foreknowledge of what to expect is advised.