Golden Girlie - Live at King Fu Necktie

Photo SCOTT FROST

Penelope Trappes of The Golden Filter performers at Kung Fu Necktie

in Philadelphia June 20.

The Golden Filter - Hide Me (Download)

"What time is it anyway," Golden Filter singer Penelope Trappes quips a song or so in to their set at Kung Fu Necktie in Philly June 20.

"I know it's early," the Aussie says later. "So lets do this and then get some drinks."

It did seem a bit early. The Gerard-area bar had a ghost town feel to it, as the sun took forever to shadow the tiny rock club. About five people took interest to openers The Hundred In the Hands, who were already into their set by 8:30. They begged for forgiveness when their set was cut short due to technical difficulties. It felt weird when I returned to my SUV after buying their EP that their set was over before dark.

The Golden Filter is probably more used to native New York schedules, and having been tour mates of The Presets and Simian Mobile Disco, set times tend to go deep into the evening for these typical electro showcases.

Didn't matter. The Golden Filter - their stellar Voluspa LP a burning member of my iPod shuffling - had their thundering electro percussion and synth slides on full stun as they flew through a shimmering selection of deliciously deep dance grooves.

The crowd - which grew to about 30 as The Golden Filter slammed its first beat - woke up quickly as the double drum attack trembled the club floor. Kung Fu Necktie had barely chirped with the sun still shining, but by the second of third disco-tinged techno romp the trio rocketed through the sound system, observers started to twist their bodies.

A lightning-fast show-off of The Golden Filter's goods, their set got my brain frozen, as the rhythms swung from trance to bombastic electro. And while Trappes used golden-blonde bangs to hide her identity, her live presence was intriguing. She added distortion to the heavy percussion with a sample box she seemed to want to make love to.

A well set-up showing of the band's electro power. I'm already planning on seeing them a second time late Saturday night (June 26) at The Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave. between North 11th and 12th). Tickets to that show only cost $5.