It’d be easy to turn into a cynic, what with the press continuing its two-years-long-and-running campaign of eating out of Gotham City’s palm. The love affair with the New York scene may not end anytime soon, with seemingly plenty of attention (if little actual musical output) to go around for Interpol, the Walkmen, the French Kicks, Radio 4, Liars and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But as each of these bands has come through Philadelphia, each has proved its worth in concert.

Having heard countless testimonials to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ gritty, raw live show, I was either ready to reflexively throw them into the fire or make them my new favorite band. The trio—singer Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase—missed its last scheduled Philly appearance two weeks earlier (as opener for Sleater-Kinney) due to Karen O’s bout with bronchitis. The makeup show was impressive.

O stepped onstage in one of her trademark Christian Joy-designed costumes: a long, black cut-up-and-ripped-up T-shirt. While initially not as eye-catching as previous outfits, those close enough to O glimpsed Joy’s subliminal messages: the words “scientology,” “protest,” “buddhist,” “baptist,” etc., painted on the shirt-dress in creepy crimson letters.

Playing to a half-full venue didn’t seem to break the band’s spirit. O, Chase and Zinner tore into the chaotic and evil “Art Star,” Karen O ranging from sugary-sweet do-do-do’s to fierce re-enactments of Siousie Sioux screeches. Zinner’s guitar makes you forget there’s no bass, and Chase’s beats anchor the otherwise chaotic sound of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Karen O worked the crowd with a weird and quirky stage persona, one in which she’ll roll around on the floor one minute and do Mr. Roboto arm movements the next. Spitting beer and pouring water on both herself and the audience are all part of Karen O’s stage antics. She’s the kind of performer rock bands need, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been blessed with one great frontwoman.

The highlights of the evening arrived courtesy of the group’s highly acclaimed, self-titled debut EP (originally released last year on Shifty and re-released on Touch And Go this year): the danceable, garage-rock “Mystery Girl” and the near-ballad “Our Time,” which ironically has Karen O crooning the words, “It’s the year to be hated.” If there’s one sentiment the Yeah Yeah Yeahs haven’t felt tonight (or any other night this year), it was hate.