Photos: Banks & Steelz at the Roxy Theatre

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Banks & Steelz at the Roxy (Photo by Kelsey Heng)
Banks & Steelz at the Roxy (Photo by Kelsey Heng)

Thursday night at the Roxy, the velvet curtain pulled back on a new duo growing hype all over the music scene. Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA joined each other on stage for the first time to reveal their collaborative rap-rock project Banks & Steelz, one that’s been silently brewing for years. The side project was first unveiled just months ago with a single release of “Love + War,” featuring RZA’s Wu Tang bandmate Ghostface Killah. Weeks later, the group announced a debut album, “Anything But Words” (out Aug. 28), and series of tour dates and festival appearances.

The sold-out crowd seemed split between the camps of the members’ respective projects, devoted to either the Wu Tang Clan’s dynasty or Interpol’s emotive indie-rock. Banks and RZA don’t seem to view it that way, but showed the perceived clash of backgrounds is instead ingredients for a skilled and sonically fitting pairing. Live, the two musicians play delicately back and forth, with a formula that keeps the spotlight shifting. Banks gives the songs a steady instrumental drive as RZA builds up speed with his verse breakdown to then hand it back over to Banks’ soothing heartrending vocals. Morgan Kibby (White Sea, ex-M83), stood in for Florence Welch (who guests on the album) on “Wild Season.” Most of the upcoming album was run through, starting with “Ana Electric” through standouts “Speedway Sonora,” “Can’t Hardly Feel.” “One by One,” “Giant” and closing the night with the title track.

This isn’t the first time rap and rock have crossed paths and certainly not the first time a few modern-day music legends have met up in New York and thought to do a little side project. But this is one such project fans of both sides will find themselves meeting in the middle to start hoping this will end up being more than a one-time studio experiment.

T.O.L.D. (The Order of Life and Death), the synth-pop project helmed by L.A.-based Englishman Dan Smith, opened the night.

||| Live: Banks & Steelz perform Aug. 28 at FYF Fest.