by Adrian Gandara
Poster by David H. Strother
Synths, chintz and cheese go together.
What separates the cheesiness of TC Superstar from other cheesy synthpop groups is the sincerity of it all. An earnestness in the lyrics and carefree fun from the sound of synths and smacks of drumbeats.
If you were at Hotel Vegas for TC Superstar’s show with Velveteen Echo and Fanclub, you saw frontman Connor McCampbell moving on stage. To his left and right, the group’s dancers. Against the stage, swinging concertgoers. And maybe you felt me bump against you (sorry) as I danced (awkwardly, if you can call it “dancing”) deep in the crowd.
All of us at that moment sincere and carefree.
Other synth artists might be stale and cheesy American squares wrapped in a shiny plastic package. TC Superstar is the good stuff.