On an otherwise quiet Wednesday night, noise-punk quartet NOTS descended into New Orleans to promote their sophomore record, “Cosmetic.”
NOTS, led by Natalie Hoffman on guitar and vocals, took the stage around midnight. By the third song of their set, Hoffman had already switched guitars twice. It seemed as if the strings just couldn’t handle her raw, unapologetic style of play.
“Does anyone have another guitar?” Hoffman asked the crowd after slicing through her A string, again. “I’ll probably break it.”
Behind Hoffman, another founding member of the band, Charlotte Watson, set an often breakneck pace on the drums. Watson’s contribution to the act is unmistakable, as is her status as verified wifey material.
Standing next to Watson was Meredith Lones on bass. Next to her stood Alexandra Eastburn, adding delicious layers of eery synth to the mix. Together, these four women produced loud, in-your-face punk that would make any Riot Grrl proud.
Hoffman’s vocal tone sounded half-sarcastic as she yelled at the crowd of no more than 60. The sound reminded me of young girls in a school yard, poking fun at yet another victim, probably chanting something like “Janice has cooties, nah nah nah, nah nah nah” in perfect unison.
Songs like the standout track “Entertain Me” blended Hoffman’s screeching guitar, Watson’s thumping beat, and Eastburn’s oscillating synth, forming the perfect 7-minute musical middle finger to popular culture.
In summary, NOTS gave their fans the intimate show they have come to expect — 40 minutes of quick, loud punk rock injected with a hefty dose of youthful energy and girl power.