Strangely, my relationship with the Triple Door has been vastly more satisfying than most relationships with members of my family as of late. If my counts are correct, I've seen ten shows there (most have been in the past three months) and I've been seated in the front row for three of those shows.

Last Tuesday's show was especially gratifying because Denmark's Raveonettes have been one of my favorite bands since its first EP Whip It On was released in the summer of 2002. I've long admired the band's classic surf-guitar sounds drenched in vats of reverb and film noir-ish imagery set to music. When the Raveonettes took the stage, I was shocked to see that, unlike the four previous times I've seen the band, tonight they were limited to just Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo. Usually there has been a drummer and guitarist along (although for a few songs the band did borrow opening act Midnight Movies' drummer Sandra Vu).

When Sharin Foo came to the stage, she looked stunning in a black dress, high heels, and immaculate hair and make up. She looked like she was on her way to a fancy cocktail party and not a rock show. It ended up being nothing to worry about because arrangements fit well, with either Wagner or Foo either providing either the guitar parts, bass guitar, or drums. The set, which lasted well over an hour, consisted of lots of material from the previous albums, new songs, and covers. "Attack of the Ghost Riders" (the first track off of the Whip it On EP) was slowed down considerably and brought out a level of sultriness that most of us in the crowd haven't heard from that song before. "Love in a Trashcan" was another highlight. I was unsure how my favorite song in the band's catalogue would sound without a drum beat or bassline, but the dual harmonies on top of two guitars with lots of distortion came out remarkably well in the pristine confines of the Triple Door.

As for the covers, my favorites were Gun Club's "Sex Beat" and the Strangeloves' "I Want Candy," which was reworked as "Who Wants the Candy?" Wagner said it was a tribute to producer Richard Gottehrer, who wrote the original version of the song and produced Pretty in Black, the Raveonettes' 2005 album (which also includes a cover of another Gottehrer classic, "My Boyfriend's Back"). The band also opened with Buddy Holly's "Everyday" (the band's name is spelled "rave-on-ettes" for a reason) and later included Sonic Youth's "100%." The characters in the songs of the Raveonettes exist in sleazy Red Light Districts (e.g., from "Love in a Trashcan": "If you touch that girl, you know it's okay; people say she's a whore anyway"), yet the lush and elegant confines of the Triple Door contrasted nicely with band's sound. It made for a very memorable evening and I am both optimistic for more rock shows at the Triple Door and a forthcoming Raveonettes album.