|
The
Faint, The White Octave and Sorry About Dresden After fighting the stomach with an assortment of chemicals that probably could kill most children under the age of five, I headed off to see the famed show of The Faint (Saddle Creek Records). Stepping into the door, I was stood up by a mass of humanity who apparently turned out for what would be the best package show of the year. Squeezing past here and there, got a Rolling Rock and I was ready to be indie and dance. The first band up was Sorry About Dresden (Saddle Creek Records) who, though being from Chapel Hill, I have never seen even though they play like every week. They were infinitely better than I had originally imagined they would be. Not being familiar with their music, they had elements of some of the things that are right and good in the indie world. Taking a little from Pavement, a bit from Cursive and melding it together, their set consisted of an interplay between fast, close to punk songs and considerably slower numbers. The local crowd bopped along to them throughout. Next up was The White Octave (Initial Records) who are also from Chapel Hill and I have never seen. However, unlike Sorry About Dresden, I have come seriously close to seeing them a number of times. The skinny on The White Octave is that the head guy, Stephen Pedersen, of Cursive moved to Chapel Hill and started the band and now they are on their way to fame and fortune with their new release "Menergy" on Initial. If you close your eyes during the set you would believe that Cursive was playing, but that is merely a function of the Pedersen's unique voice. Throwing themselves and their instruments around like nothing, they laid it all on the line as if they didn't play like this they would be shot dead by Turkish prison guards. This was the type of performance that gives you chills and makes you feel good to be alive. The negative side was that they only played a handful of songs due to the set up time needed by the headliners The Faint. Peabody had told me how amazing The Faint were live, though he mused they took awhile to gain perfection in their sound. Back hurting from standing and getting sleepy from the day, The Faint busied themselves setting up and setting up and setting up. Lights, smoke machine, synthesizers, mixers, guitars, drums. By the time the sound check came around suddenly my choice anti-heat, anti-person squish spot became crowded. It was like we were in Russia and someone was giving out free bread. After commanding for all the lights in the house to be turned off, The Faint blasted into the best overall performance in a small club that I ever seen. This IS entertainment! The only thing that could rival the performance would be like Pantera and Slayer at Madison Square Garden or something like that. For those of you not aware of The Faint, they are basically leading a movement to bring New Wave back to the people of the new millennium. The songs consist of dancey New Wave mixed with some elements of punk; thus, creating an astounding sound that always keeps you on guard. Playing a healthy mixture of songs off their album Blank Wave Arcade and their upcoming album Danse Macabre on Saddle Creek, The Faint made you move your feet if you wanted to or not. Choice numbers from the set included "Worked Up So Sexual," "Call Call," "Cars Pass in Cold Blood" and a remix of "In Concert" from the Blank Wave Arcade Remix album. The lead singer Todd Baechle maintains an impressive presence on the stage, alternating between two mics (one normal and the other robot-like for use on many of the songs off Danse Macabre) and a synthesizer. For instance, when he moves from singing to the synthesizer, he throws the mics around his neck for quick and easy use. Baechle is like a mad genius that has plans to run the world through inundating the crowd with a mind-alternating light and dance show. The other members move to the beat in the 80s shoulder-moving 'I'm too cool for you' dancing (you know what I mean). Moreover the set was perfectly timed with the light and smoke show (though light on the smoke which is nice). A greater use of strobe lights may have brought out more dancing in people, but whatever. The bottom line is that you don't want to waste any more time in not listening to and going to see The Faint. Life is too short. Highlights: Too many to list. *
For more information on The Faint go to Saddle Creek Records (www.saddle-creek.com)
or to The Faint's site (www.thefaint.com).
copyright exoduster.com 2003 |
