Ima Robot

Blu House - September 7, 2006

Live Review by Adam McKibbin

To celebrate the release of their new album, Monument to the Masses, Ima Robot hit their birthplace (Los Angeles), including a release party at a house on the Venice boardwalk owned by Nike and rented, on this occasion, to Filter for its latest issue launch.  Ordinarily, it wouldn’t be a very fair circumstance in which to judge a band:  the stage was makeshift, the crowd generally was more excited about mingling and standing in the beer line, and Ima Robot seemed thoroughly nonchalant.  The night stripped them down, as they themselves said, to their “Dave Matthews” essence.  What’s worth noting is how a band that can seem a bit gimmicky on record at first glance can reveal themselves to be quite convincing and charming, even in a limited live setting. 

On their records, Ima Robot are beefed up to the point of overproduction.  Doing things on a grand scale is part of what the band is all about, but there are moments on disc - as catchy as they may be - when singer Alex Ebert sounds a bit lost amidst the ideas.  On stage, especially in such close confines, Ebert seems like a bona fide indie rock star (sidenote: Ima Robot are not indie), prancing in a stretched-out white tee and grinning like he's in on a damn good joke, you're welcome to join him, but he won't lose any sleep if you decline.