Brightest Young Things

all photos:: Paul Perkins
all words: Randy Smith (Dan Heim helped write too)

Copeland was in town Friday night promoting their new album, "You Are My Sunshine." They played an early bill show (doors opened at 5 p.m.) at the Rock and Roll Hotel to a sea of newly pubescent tweens furiously thumbing away at their iphones: "OMG... I'm seeing Copeland right now... and I'm using my fake ID too... best day ever!"

Teenie boppers aside, it was the always-too-loud mixing at the Hotel that really did Copeland in. Aaron Marsh's piercing falsetto vocals, the emotive engine that drives most of Copeland's fans to keep listening, was hard to distinguish over the steady hum of the accompanying instruments.

It's worth mentioning that the band played a cover of "Tonight Tonight" by the Smashing Pumpkins, a song that immediately brings me back to memories of pre-pubescent summers spent jumping on trampolines and eating rocket pops. And who doesn't like a rocket pop? Or a trampoline, for that matter? The only problem was that Marsh sounded exactly like Billy Corgan, and the band didn't add any flair to the song. I may as well have been listening to my copy of the Pumpkins' "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" on the stereo back at my apartment.

One highlight of the show, however, was when Copeland dusted off "When Paula Sparks," a song from their 2003 debut disc.

In the end, while Copeland didn't play their best show ever, they still made me want to come home and buy their new album online. What I found out was that It all sounded much better on my computer than it did live- but I don't blame the band for that

Previously in Live DC:

• 2/9: LiveDC: Theophilus London @ 930 Club
• 2/9: Best Weekend Bets
• 2/8: LiveDC: Kathleen Edwards @ 930 Club
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/8: LiveDC: Thurston Moore/ Kurt Vile @ Black Cat
• 2/7: LiveDC: Demetri Martin @ Warner Theatre
• 2/7: LiveDC: Augustana/ Graffiti6 @ 930 Club
• 2/6: LiveDC: All Things Go Presents: Reptar/ Casual Curious/ Fort Lean @ Gibson Guitar Showroom
• 2/6: LiveDC: TYCHO/ Beacon @ RNR Hotel
• 2/6: LiveDC: The Kills / Jeff The Brotherhood @ 9:30 Club