Interpol’s ‘Wash of Reverb’ Back?

When Sam Fogarino talked to Paste at the end of 2009 regarding Interpol’s last album, Our Love to Admire, he hinted at something even the most die-hard Interpol fan wanted to say, but couldn’t bring him or herself to utter it:  the album sucked.

Well, maybe it didn’t entirely suck, but it was certainly an overly polished version of something that it could’ve been, but wasn’t quite.

Still, the recent unveiling of a brand new song, “Lights,” sheds light (pun all too easily intended) on Interpol’s direction after a 3 year hiatus.  You can find the mp3, which is available as a free download barring you have a date of birth and an email address, on the band’s website. By now, the infamous – and highly cryptic – Interpol message has found its way across much of the internet’s expanse, but let us encumber you with redundancy:

We’re stirring.
Please take a moment to visit our website: www.interpolnyc.com
We want to show you something.
And make sure you come back soon.
We will be posting important information and dates in the coming weeks.

Thank you [and God bless].
Interpol

Ok, so we added that bracket, but don’t you think it’s appropriate?  If you’re curious about Interpol’s new song and whether they can return to a place that has possibly expired, or shift to something new altogether inspired by the beauty of such an expired place, click here.

“Will I See You in September?”

Those anxious to experience Chapterhouse live for the first time (or for the first time in a long time) will have to wait a little longer.  Hey… if you could wait 14 years, what’s a few months?

Yes, the infamous volcano, that ash-y mother near Eyjafjalla Glacier in South Iceland, is to blame for further disappointment in the musical world.  Due to travel delays and visa issues, the legendary British band has had to postpone their North American tour.

The band released a statement on their official website, a detailed explanation that outlines Stephen Patman’s misfortune following their Japanese tour dates: flight delays left Patman, Chapterhouse cornerstone, unable to apply for an artist visa in time to commit to planned May dates.

Still, Chapterhouse emphasizes that their North American tour has only been postponed and not cancelled.  They look to re-schedule for the second half of September as Ashley Bates’ alternate project, Tunng, provides further schedule conflicts. Fans who purchased tickets for the May shows will be able to use them for the projected dates, which the band plans to confirm in the weeks to come.

The Fauns Sail the Emotional Spectrum, Return with Gold

The Fauns is one of those bands whose musical appeal is every filmmaker’s wet dream.  While it may be cliché to compare the tracks of the Bristol six-piece’s self-titled debut album to a movie soundtrack, it’s difficult listening to most of the 11-track album without imagining interior shots of elevated train rides, protagonist looking out the windows expectantly as the golden sunlight of a waning afternoon sifts between buildings of an urban sprawl, etc., etc., etc…

But aside from the obvious statements about The Fauns’ music, the debut album really wrangles a drifting landscape of various emotions, neatly packaged into 11 tracks that could play endlessly and purposefully in the background of any situation.  Although the main focus of their sound seems to be a light, feathery female voice, The Fauns nestle it comfortably within delicate folds of intricately woven guitars, bass, percussion, and electronics, essentially obscuring any main driving force behind their music while simultaneously creating the necessity for the sum of its parts’ presence for true efficacy.

Perhaps the most representative sampling of The Fauns on their self-titled debut is the sequence of tracks 4, 5, and 6 — “The Sun is Cruising,” “Fragile,” and “Road Meets the Sky,” respectively.  At its very center, The Fauns’ music is a melancholic nostalgia — not quite sorrow, but bittersweet — encased in catchy pop melodies.  Each song is crafted like a story with an instrumental prologue in which not all of the musical counterparts have unified until finally spilling over into an orchestrated movement of warm, rich layers and aural textures.  Once the full-on orchestra of each song has reached its apex, the song not so much ends as it does float to a calm stop, and just as this is true of most of the debut’s songs, it is definitely true of the entire album: an emotionally-charged central core draped in drifts of warmth.

“Shall I see you again?…”  Definitely.

- N. Gonzales

A Washed Out Beach House in Austin

Laying on the floor, watching television.  Nearby, my cell phone rings as it, too, rests on the brown carpet.

“Hello?”

“You sure you don’t want to ride up to Austin with me?”

“I dunno.  What if I don’t get in?  I’m not getting dropped off anywhere this time…”

“Well, I’m just asking.  It’s not too late to change your mind.  I haven’t passed your street yet.  We can probably get you a ticket at the door.”

“Well…”

“Come on.”

“Ok.  But I’m bringing my rum, and I plan on going into a rage in the car this time.”

This is how my evening started, Thursday, April 22, hours before Washed Out and Beach House were due to appear onstage at Emo’s in Austin.  My last trip to a sold-out show in Austin with promises of me getting in at the door ended in a Friday night spent playing Rock Band with a friend who lived near South Congress, and while there was nothing wrong with that at the time, it wasn’t how I anticipated spending my Thursday night this go-round. 

So with a satchel consisting primarily of an oversized rum bottle and a leather journal, an empty cup, and a can of soda, I got into the passenger seat of a green Volvo and headed toward the long corridor of IH 35.  I filled half the cup with rum, and all of the car with the scent of it, before mixing in soda and settling in for an hour-long drive that would undoubtedly result in me making an ass of myself.

I fully anticipated walking the streets of Austin, ticketless, carrying a satchel of rum, and mixing with the youth who flow up and down 6th like driftwood.  I had pretty much resolved to accept this as my fate, but it was still more exotic and romantic than sitting on the carpet of a guest room and singing into a microphone that was duct taped to a speaker stand while I strummed a plastic guitar.

We parked off Red River (I refuse to pay for parking anywhere downtown) and devised a plan.  I expended the last of the soda and topped it off with rum before depositing the rum bottle (quite dramatically) into the trunk; I was feeling warm. 

“I appreciate you coming all the way up here with me.  I’ll sell my ticket and we’ll just hang out downtown.”

“No!  You came up here to see them.  We’ll find a ticket.  If not, I’ll be fine.  Maybe I’ll get lost in the streets and become a bum.  I’ll lead this independent life of adventure and longing, drifting from town to town in search of something always just out of reach…”

I can be so dramatic at times. 

We walked toward 6th, me spouting other such similar nonsense (see above) as we did so.  My tongue was loose and my cheeks were warm, and the cool evening did little to soothe them. 

“I smell Bacardi O on you…”

“No you don’t.  We just passed an orange grove.  I’m sure of it.”

There’s a line outside of Emo’s.  I’m not getting a ticket.  She offers to sell hers again, but I wave it off as nonsense and we listen to the ridiculous scalpers shout out equally ridiculous prices.  I’m not getting a ticket.  Someone calls out my name (well, a name I’ve been known to go by) and I turn to see my friend and his charming girlfriend.  They both have tickets.  I have none.  I approach a scalper whose holding a pair, but he’ll only sell the two.  He’s very gruff and makes no eye contact.  There’s still 45 minutes before the show starts; I decide to let time soften him up a bit.

And it does.  A newly-reduced price and a single ticket find me inside Emo’s with enough time to evacuate some Bacardi O and warm up to a tall Lone Star before the solitary member of Washed Out unveils tremendously inviting dance grooves to the hypnotized listeners.  I’m surprised, amazed, and impressed by his energy as he bobs up and down behind his keyboard, singing obscurely into a microphone that sends his voice out to us drenched in waves of electronica.  Three songs into what started off as a fairly mellow set, and the rhythm suddenly becomes contagious.  Even my stiff body finds some pliancy as I sway uncontrollably to the sound.

When Washed Out’s set is over, no one moves.  No one’s giving up their ground for Beach House.  This is my first attendance of their live performance, and if the fact that it was sold out wasn’t indicative enough of what to expect, the fact that no audience member was giving up an inch of where they stood for Beach House’s set was just as respectable. 

Clever name.  Their music lulled and foamed; was dramatic like me; was dramatic like the sea.  Daniel appeared nonchalant as he pounded his drum kit with mallets, all the while Alex’s guitar twanged cleanly throughout each song: melodic, constant, unwavering.  Victoria’s unique voice soared over our heads, and when she wasn’t singing, her long, wild curls flailed about her crown as she thrust her head this way and that.  I was glad I hadn’t chosen a life of vagrancy.  I could’ve run outside to kiss the scalper.  Washed Out was a great preamble to the liquid melodicism of Beach House, and no duct tape, no plastic guitar, no town-to-town drifting could’ve swayed my decision if I’d had the choice. 

We arrived back at the car, me promising to sing the whole way home, but my head was swimming in a tropical blend of mandarin and Beach House. 

The tide of sleep came in and pulled me out to sea.

“Rocket Fire” Propels Ceremony to New Heights of Acclaim

Thanks to the beauty and ease of the internet, we were able to sit down (independently of each other, of course) with John Fedowitz and Paul Baker of Ceremony, a band too loud for Fredericksburg, VA, and a band whose anticipated full-length Rocket Fire, due for release tomorrow, April 27th, will be too loud to ignore.

We talked about the future, inspiration, influence, and the fellas were even nice enough to make me ashamed of my Hall and Oates knowledge (everyone knows Hall’s golden mane was the driving force behind the duo!).  Here’s how it all went down…

__________________________________________________________________

First of all, congratulations on the upcoming release of Rocket Fire.  This is your first full-length as Ceremony on Killer Pimp.  What does this release mean for you two personally?
 
John Fedowitz – Personally, it means if anyone stuck in their room recording can get recognized playing music that means something to them and means something to other people as well, then we’ve made a statement.  Hopefully it will be a stepping stone to a bigger label.  Rocket Fire is my favorite release of ours so far.
 
Paul Baker – I’m glad to have some of these songs finally be released officially, as some of them have been floating around for quite some time.  Some of these songs could have been on Disappear but just didn’t seem to fit the mood correctly, so we held onto them until Rocket Fire.  I think it was good to wait until the right time to put them all together.

How has it been working with the label Killer Pimp, and what are your future plans with them?
 
PB – Jon from Killer Pimp is definitely a perfectionist, which is a bit strange for us, but I think it’s been a good thing working with him.  He’s a great guy who has a vision that respects ours and I can certainly appreciate that.
 
JF – Jon is someone I finally worried about letting down, concerning recording quality, song sequencing, and cover aesthetics.  We’re grateful to him for enlisting Jeff Lipton to master the album, and we think he did a fantastic job.  As far as future plans, we can’t say anything except we’re focused on the release of Rocket Fire.

There seems to be a growing trend in sparsely outfitted bands.  Bands like The Big Pink and Screen Vinyl Image are making big splashes with fewer members.  You as well.  As a two-man group, do you find it easier or more difficult to compose music? 
 
JF – Before Ceremony and even Skywave I was in other bands with more members and more ideas of what the band was about.  It always turned into chaos. I would love to have a full band with musicians, as it’s more visually appealing, but I’ve always had this idea of what music should sound like, and I don’t think anyone else could really tolerate being in a band with me, except Paul.
 
PB – It’s both, really.  Fortunately, John and I have remarkably similar sensibilities when it comes to music.  I mean we each have our different takes on music we hear from other groups, but when it comes to our music we almost always agree on things.  Sometimes he will want me to record a guitar on one of his songs, but there’s no point because he’s already done exactly what I would have done.  That’s not always the case, but very often it is.  On the other hand, there are times when I wish there was another opinion or some additional input, but we have yet to find the person we could trust with that.

And how do you find yourself composing music?  What’s the creative process like for you two, at a glance?
 
PB – We spend a lot of time working on our own songs, just because of scheduling issues.  I write songs when it hits me, for the most part.  Usually a song that is forced sounds that way, so I don’t bother.  If I don’t feel like the song is saying something to me, I’ll just drop it.  But it is a great feeling when it all comes together in a few minutes, and I know I’ve done what I set out to do.
 
JF – I usually get my influences from Paul’s songs and demos and I change them and distort them in ways he will never know.

You guys have a video for just about every song on Rocket Fire.  Talk a little bit about that.  Do you own the equipment, have friends who help out?
 
PB – Well, not quite every song, but you’re right because a lot of these songs have been floating around for some time, but, like I said, they didn’t seem to fit properly on our earlier albums.  Some of the songs on Rocket Fire were written or even recorded before Ceremony existed.  I think I wrote “Stars Fall” and “Marianne” when we were still Skywave.  John will have to answer the technical questions.
 
JF – My wife said, “You can do this, make a video!”  I just used iMovie and tried to make it look as cool as possible and hoped for the best.

There are obvious influences in your music’s sound.  Some reviews give you a nod toward the blatant shoegaze giants of the late 80s and early 90s, while others make parallels between JAMC.  But how important is the influence of your contemporaries to you, or do you strictly rely on the influence of bands you heard growing up?
 
PB – I can’t help but be influenced by the music I heard as a kid that really moved me, but there are far more influences going on in our music.  In retrospect, some of the groups I liked when I was younger don’t seem so great to me now, but other groups I didn’t like then I really enjoy.  Things always change, and that’s usually a good thing.  Sure, I listened to My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain, then and now, but I was some kid, 13 or 14 years old, and didn’t understand there was a difference in categorization.  I still don’t care about that.  I love Hank Williams Sr. the same way I love Oasis or Kraftwerk.  Lots of so-called “shoegaze” is totally boring and they couldn’t write a song if their lives depended on it.  I like the effects, when they’re done well and there’s a good song.  That’s the most important thing, the song.  I think Ladytron has been a big influence on our group, as well as the Raveonettes, and of course, A Place To Bury Strangers.  Oliver is great at both songwriting and production, and I will listen to his music as long as he keeps making it.
 
JF – I find myself falling out of the music scene often, but things hit me later and I always find some new inspiration, even if it’s 20 years old.

In that regard, there was an article in the Chicago Tribune recently about the return of shoegaze and how bands such as APTBS have helped revive the trend.  How do you feel Ceremony fits into that revival?  Do you really consider yourselves part of that genre?
 
PB – I think my answer to that is sort of the same as the previous question.  When we were in Skywave it felt like we were doing everything against the odds, “shoegaze” was out and venues weren’t interested in what we were doing.  But now, with people looking back, we somehow kept it alive or something, but “shoegazing” wasn’t what we wanted to do, we were a rock and roll band, and we still are.  I think maybe there’s a place for us in that genre, but we’re not the face of it.  And I do enjoy some bands who fall into that category very much, but it seems to be a weird mix of things, some of which I’m not too crazy about.
 
JF – Thanks to Oliver we’re getting some recognition.  Shoegaze has been distorted in many ways, I don’t think people know what it means anymore.  I wouldn’t mind if Ceremony and A Place To Bury Strangers started a new genre with a cooler name…

For the sake of vanity, who do you consider the frontman of Ceremony, or does your duo status require too much shared responsibility?  If you two were to ever split, who would be Hall and who would be Oates?
 
PB – Uh, don’t know anything about Hall and Oates, but John started this band so maybe he can answer.  

JF – Well, who was the keyboard expert in Hall and Oates?  Because that would be me.

As a fellow left-hander who’s been shunned by the world, John, I have to ask you something.  Left-handed guitar players are a rarity; how difficult is it for you to find gear you really want, or is it all strung upside down?
 
JF – If you want a Strat or a Les Paul, you’re good to go, but that’s not for me.    I string up everything upside down, except the bass.  I play my bass guitar high G string on top, low E string on bottom.  Lefties have rights too, but I’m still pretty pissed off about it…

As you know, this pub is based in San Antonio, Texas.  There’s a promising Austin band called Ringo Deathstarr who opened for you not long ago along with Screen Vinyl Image and The Sky Drops.  Describe the experience of that show.
 
PB – That was a great show.  Actually, due to unfortunate circumstances, both SVI and the Sky Drops had to cancel, but we had a wonderful time meeting and playing with Ringo Deathstarr.  I’ve had their records in continuous rotation on my record player for at least a week.  They’re awesome live and really nice people to top it off.

JF – That show was great. Hanging out with Ringo Deathstarr was a lot of fun. I remember listening to them on youtube the year before and it’s so cool hearing those songs live.

So how’s the music scene in VA?  Do you find audiences receptive to your music, or does a change in location suggest greater recognition?
 
PB – Where we live, people like us, venues don’t, so we don’t bother.  We’ve been kicked out of clubs multiple times for being too loud, which is kind of a badge of honor, but I don’t want to do it anymore.  We have some of our best shows in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area.  I want to bring the music to our fans, wherever they may be, but not if the venue is going to literally pull the plug on our power and tell us to get the fuck out and they’re going to call the cops.
 
JF – People from all over have said that Skywave kept shoegaze alive in the U.S.  I really appreciate that, but being in Virginia, it’s not really appreciated.  Ceremony has faced the same sort of club owners who would like us to turn down to a “Motley Crue” volume.  We always leave alone.  

In your career as Ceremony, what’s been the most surreal experience for you two?  Was there a certain show you took part in that blew your mind, or bands with whom you shared the stage?
 
PB – It was great to play with A Place To Bury Strangers at the 930 Club in Washington, DC.  That was a pretty big deal for us.  Playing shows in Tokyo with Screen Vinyl Image was pretty surreal for me, as I’d imagine it was for them.  I never thought I’d be in a band playing gigs in Japan with a band I really like and who are such wonderful friends.
 
JF – Yeah, I agree.

Thanks again for your time, mates, I really do appreciate it.  Please tell me, are there any upcoming plans for a tour in support of Rocket Fire, and if so, how accessible will the locations be?
 
PB – Maybe we should get to work on that… If we do, we’ll try to be as practical as possible, but no guarantees.  We’ve never done things the way we should.
 
JF – This album defintely needs to be promoted well, east coast, northwest, midwest and Europe.  Those are my hopeful plans.

The Fauns Gain Steam with Ethereal Sound

Bristol’s rising stars, The Fauns, have recently released a double vinyl version of their acclaimed self-titled debut, and with a second album already in the works, there appears to be no immediate creative end for the brilliant sextet.

Forming in 2007, The Fauns began as a trio until finally establishing themselves as a six-piece with Alison Garner fronting the band as vocalist.  In 2009, they released their self-titled debut to much critical acclaim on Laser Ghost Recordings.  Their most recent endeavors include the release of a double vinyl set of the self-titled album whose proceeds will directly fund their follow-up, which is currently in process with an estimated September release.  The vinyl set, signed by each band member, is available through Deep Space Recordings, or directly from the band.

The Fauns is one of those bands whose subtlety is misleading.  Their music, though understated, explodes with fervor at times, harnessing emotions that are ever-present if not always acknowledged.  Garner’s vocals move effortlessly throughout each track, blanketing the music like a gorgeous veil and creating a stunning ambience.

Until the end of the month, The Fauns have unveiled “1991″ (Mastermind Deserted Helipad Mix) on Soundcloud for exclusive download.  Our recommendation is that you click the link, download the track, and drift away on the vapors.

A Psychedelic First for San Antonio

Psychedelic Furs have updated their tour schedule recently to include some swapped dates as well as additional stops, one of which is The White Rabbit here in San Antonio, TX.

The general admission, all-ages event will take place June 29.  Doors open at 7pm and pre-sale tickets will run $25 (may cost more the day of the performance).  She Wants Revenge will be opening for the Furs along with additional support to be announced.

Since the Furs have begun touring after their 2000 reformation, this will be the first time they have visited San Antonio.  Fans of the legendary group can now save a trip to Austin by checking out this added tour stop in a city that is normally deficient in quality touring acts.

Move over Legs Diamond, here come the Furs.

UPDATED TOUR SCHEDULE

May 27 - ORLANDO, FL / Hard Rock Hotel (FURS ONLY) (on sale 4/30)
May 28 - WEST MELBOURNE, FL / Levelz (tickets)
May 29 - ATLANTA, GA / Masquerade (tickets)
June 01 - BALTIMORE, MD / Rams Head Live (on sale 4/8)
June 02 - PHILADELPHIA, PA / The Blockley (tickets)
June 04 - NEW YORK, NY / Irving Plaza (tickets)
June 05 - BOSTON, MA / House Of Blues (tickets)
June 06 - FAIRFIELD, CT / Stage One (tickets)
June 08 - TORONTO, ON / Lee’s Palace (on sale 4/8)
June 10 - ROYAL OAK, MI / Royal Oak Music Theatre (tickets)
June 11 - CHICAGO, IL / Metro (tickets)
June 12 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN / First Avenue (tickets)
June 13 - OMAHA, NE / The Waiting Room Lounge (tickets)
June 14 - KANSAS CITY, MO / The Midland (tickets)
June 16 - DENVER, CO / Gothic Theatre (tickets)
June 18 - BOISE, ID / Egyptian Theatre
June 19 - SEATTLE, WA / The Showbox (tickets)
June 20 - PORTLAND, OR / Crystal Ballroom (tickets)
June 22 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA / Fillmore (on sale 4/11)
June 23 - SAN DIEGO, CA / Belly Up (tickets)
June 24 - LOS ANGELES, CA / The Wiltern (tickets)
June 25 - ANAHEIM, CA / Grove (tickets)
June 26 - LAS VEGAS, NV / House Of Blues (tickets)
June 29 - SAN ANTONIO, TX / White Rabbit (tickets)
June 30 - AUSTIN, TX / Emo’s (tickets)
July 01 - DALLAS, TX / Granada Theater (tickets)
July 02 - HOUSTON, TX / Warehouse Live (tickets)

A Swift Kick in the Ash: Volcano Affects Coachella’s Fate

Due to volcanic activity in Iceland, most — if not all — flights to and from Europe have been cancelled.  What does this mean for Coachella?  You guessed it… no European performers.

Acts such as The Cribs, Gary Numann, and Bad Lieutenant have had to cancel, or threaten as much, due to the ash cloud that has consumed much of the sky above Iceland Thursday, April 15.  According to USA Today, the giant plume contained particles [that] could cause aircraft engines to fail and could mar visibility for pilots.”  As such, the enormous cloud could potentially affect travel into next week.

The Cribs shared their early morning tribulations trying to get to L.A., while Gary Numan announced that their best option in arriving to Coachella on time is practically useless.  Bernard Sumner’s outfit, Bad Lieutenant, has also cancelled their pre-Coachella performance in San Francisco, and it is highly doubtful that they, too, will be able to make the event this year.

Buffetlibre and Amnistia Internacional Offer PEACE of Mind

And just one more reason you should listen to good music…

Buffetlibre and Amnistia Internacional Catalunya have teamed up to provide music lovers and peace lovers all over the world with a great collection of exclusive new songs whose proceeds aim to protect human rights.

Called PEACE — the internet’s “first music atlas” – the downloadable album contains more than 180 new songs from various artists spanning more than 50 countries.  There are multiple contribution levels established for purchasing this rare collection starting at 5 Euro (approximately $7.50 USD), and proceeds will benefit Amnistia Internacional’s investigations into, and campaigns for, preventing worldwide human rights abuse.

PEACE contains great new music from bands like A Place to Bury Strangers, This Will Destroy You, Voxtrot, Her Space Holiday, Asobi Seksu, Crocodiles, and so much more.

And as if new music from your favorite artists benfitting human rights was not enough to coax you, making a donation for PEACE also offers credits and biographies from the artists as well as a chance to win tickets to some of the most recognized music festivals in the world.

Curious?  Stream the tracks here.

Burial at Sea: Strangers Kill with “Ocean”

Listening to A Place to Bury Strangers live is less of an aural experience and more of an existential one.  This I already knew, but was reminded when I set foot in The Parish on April 8 in Austin.

The experience began in darkness with the theme from Twin Peaks playing tranquilly above what was soon to become a room filled with mayhem:  the calm before the storm.  The beauty of APTBS is their ability to do this, to create a swelling tension before the fury and beauty of their music is unleashed on the listener in layers of distortion that might drift away into the atmosphere if not weighted down by a heavy rhythm section.

Figures moving in the dark onstage.  Oliver.  JSpace.  Dion. 

Having fallen in love with APTBS during Jono’s bass reign, I was apprehensive about Dion’s ability.  Would he try to add his own flair?  Would he remain true to the original bass lines and save his creativity for new material?  As the band erupted into “Keep Slipping Away,” my affirmations of Dion’s integrity were evident in uncontrollable head nods kept in time to the rhythm section. 

The room was alive.  The room was an undulating sea of bobbing heads and raised hands.  The room was studded with brilliant camera flashes mimicking onstage strobes.  I momentarily watched the performance through someone’s digital camera screen raised before me and felt a concussive dizziness at the strange out-of-body experience:  Oliver wrangling his heavily modified Jaguar; Dion’s wide-legged stance, hunkered over his bass; JSpace battering weary skins.  All the while, a cocoon of sound enveloped me as I witnessed the affair through an artificial lens.  I could’ve vomitted pure elation and choked on the ecstasy of it.

When “Deadbeat” played, I roamed the venue frantically.  I had to get a drink.  I had to watch and hear from every inch of The Parish.  I had to escape the destruction of sound that I knew was imminent.  The frenetic energy of the song was too much for me live:  aggressive and unrelenting with Oliver’s vocals nestled insouciantly amidst the havoc.

What… what the fuck?

More camera flashes, more undulating sea.  More apprehensive me.

I never wear ear plugs.  How could I?  How could I deny the struggle of the outer ear frantically funneling psychedelia to the drum?  There was too much sound for the drum to absorb, anyway, I’m convinced, and most of it probably escaped into the smoke that drifted toward the ceiling and swished there lazily like a cat’s tail.  Besides, everyone in the audience that night shared the same pain.  We heard as much as we could hear in every passing second and let the rest depart on invisible waves of no-tone, and those wearing plugs missed the subtleties of each boutique pedal and the entire sonic spectrum APTBS laid out before us.

Oh, it’s “Ego Death.”  The pulsing kick drum echoed in my chest and gave the effect of a heart murmur.  Throughout the song, the Jaguar ascended into wild crescendo that ended in fuzz, that ended finally in a unified climax of noise before Dion kicked off “I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart.”  “Now they’ve done it!” I thought.  “Now they’ve painted themselves into a corner!”  The coup de grace on “Exploding Head” - the perfect end to a perfect album – has to be the final song of their set.  How can they top it?  The trio didn’t pull any punches with the song, harvesting all the energy of the album version and showcasing it perfectly onstage.  They destroyed the end as usual, building up to the sonic devastation that marks the last 2 minutes of the song, and I wondered what could possibly be next as JSpace and Dion kept playing, Oliver appearing to change a guitar string.  I sensed what was coming, but couldn’t quite believe it.

You have to admire a band that can take a song such as “I Lived My Life…” and follow it up with something even more amazing, even more inspiring, and that’s exactly what Strangers did that night.  Their ability to continually outdo themselves in live performances suggests the grounding for their immense popularity.  If Exploding Head is a must-have album, then a Strangers performance is a must-see event that tops any video, any downloadable track, any B-side, any remix. 

Oliver was almost done with his string and I was just waiting for JSpace to confirm my suspicions.  Yes, it was “Ocean.”  J began the distinct drum line for the monumental song while Oliver strummed his Jag into a frenzy.  I closed my eyes, standing in an ocean of music lovers and an ocean of a song.  Halfway through, Oliver takes a marked pause to contemplate what he’s about to do:  reveal his passion as a musician and lover of distortion.  Sharp feedback, then Oliver wildly strumming the strings of a guitar that he sometimes yanked viciously toward the sky, and other times brought low to the ground, cowering over it like a predator.  And then, in the middle of it all, he jumped offstage, jumped right off the front of it, and disappeared into the ocean of onlookers who were left to balk at Dion’s and JSpace’s now-solo performance.  I turned to watch Oliver dissolve into the dark, into the smoke, into the crowd. 

In his absence, the rhythm remained strong.  Though one of the highlights of Strangers’ music is Oliver’s wild guitar, J and Dion showcased the underlying beauty of it all with a staunch reverance to catchy, danceable hooks.  Finally, Oliver returned and climbed the stage.  Without strapping on the guitar, he finished the onslaught he started, gesticulating and thrashing while his six-stringed assault weapon screamed above the sea of viewers.

And as quickly as it started, it came to an abrupt end.  There was one final upheaval of noise, swelling to an immense apex before the sound died suddenly, lights out, darkened figures moving offstage. 

The experience ended in darkness.