Yves Tumor at Terminal 5
Yves Tumor is touring this fall in support of their most recent album, Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), released earlier this year.
Yves Tumor is touring this fall in support of their most recent album, Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), released earlier this year.
Yves Tumor’s sound and image pulls from many influences, and is often compared to David Bowie. The delivery during “Meteora Blues” featured a strong Bowie influence, especially as Yves stood statuesque with purple hair, pointed shoulders, and thigh-high platform boots that would have made Ziggy Stardust proud. But those influences take on an entirely new life within Yves, resulting in music that commands your attention and pushes the limits.
Bathed in pulsing red light, setting the tone for the evening, Yves Tumor opened the show with the bouncy, introspective “God Is a Circle.” At the end of the night, the band exited the stage as Jan Haflin’s song “Angelfire” (familiar to fans from its use on the outro to Yves’ 2018 song “Let The Lioness In You Flow Freely”) played.
Yves Tumor jumped into the Terminal 5 photo pit, then stood perched along the barrier while singing “Secrecy Is Incredibly Important to the Both of Them” among the devoted audience. It was arguably the most exciting performance of the night, with rapidly cascading strobe lights, a hypnotizing drum beat, and guitar riffs that transport you back to the center of the 2000s post-punk revival.
Yves Tumor stands triumphantly as the Terminal 5 crowd takes the lead by singing each word to “Crushed Velvet” on their own. Yves finally joined in to finish the song following a searing guitar solo from Chris Greatti.
The chemistry between the singer and Greatti was a delight to watch. Their playful energy together throughout the show (reminiscent of Prince during his live shows) was often accompanied by explosive guitar solos as Yves engaged with the crowd and other members of the band. It felt like they were having as much fun onstage as we were while watching the show.
Yves Tumor captivated the New York audience with a set full of favorites from previous releases, seamlessly weaved in with newer songs including “Echolalia” and “Operator” (which had fans screaming along during the final verse: “Be Aggressive! Be-Be Aggressive!”).
Lead guitarist Chris Greatti ignited the stage during the ending of the beautifully explosive “Kerosene!” from 2020’s Heaven to a Tortured Mind. Greatti’s mouth is clenched around an umbrella that a fan in the crowd gave to Yves Tumor earlier in the show.
The electrified audience welcomed Yves Tumor, who delivered striking visuals, stunning avant–garde fashion, and an incredibly entertaining show with heavy focus on artistic experimentation.
Yves Tumor’s U.S. tour will continue this month with stops including the Austin City Limits Festival and a night at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. The world tour, which has been going since their Coachella 2023 performance, concludes in November with multiple stops across Europe.