all photos: Lexie Moreland (from last time)
It might seem like a redundancy to remark upon the revelries and good nature of a hometown record release show but in this instance it bares repeating. Perhaps a commentary on the otherwise dour mood at most shows, DC locals These United States were in full celebratory mode on Saturday night, and rightfully so. The band now holds the unique distinction of putting out its second full-length, Crimes, within one year. The crowd was all too eager to join in the upbeat festivities, with friends and well-wishers cheering requests and the bands well-intentioned flubs, both of which served in equal measure. These United States were noticeably at ease with the evening’s loose vibe and its country-tinged rock did little to dissuade a good time. While the genuine enthusiasm of both the crowd and performer helped make the music more palatable, the band offered little in terms of substance but in the buoyant spirit of the night, the actual songs seemed beside the point.
It wasn’t until the room had cleared out some that Evangelicals finally hit the stage. Having caught the band open earlier this year in a barren Black Cat, it seemed as though Evangelicals were once again relegated to the unsavory periphery of an inconvenient time slot. Fortunately for all involved, a surprisingly large chunk of the hometown crowd resurfaced for the night’s headliners. Fresh off its tour with Conor Oberst and the Hidden Valley Good Time Posse (disclosure: this might not be accurate), Evangelicals have since established themselves as a formidable live band, quite a feat considering the ubiquitous sound effects and studio crafted intricacies that make up its records. Playing heavily off this year’s severely underrated The Evening Descends, the band’s live sound hinted at something more organic, its song structures expanding and loosening without sacrificing the precision of its albums.
The band’s stage presence was an effective foil for its songs’ spooky imagery, its members constantly glowering about but lacking any legitimate malice; Evangelicals put on a show in the best sense of the word. Singer Jim Jones slithers about, commanding the crowd’s attention with his demonstrative punctuation of every howl and plea. Opening with “Midnight Vignette,” the band took its time finding a comfortable rhythm that hit with “Party Crashin.” Live, the song abandoned its soaring melody for a pummeling immediacy, gaining steady momentum before reaching its roaring conclusion. While its macabre aesthetic and elaborate stage set-up suits a live setting, its smoke (literal) and mirror (figurative) frills never gave way to full-blown novelty.
Jones is the undisputed star of the show however, articulating a sense of playful madness while grimacing madly about. Like every charismatic lead singer, he is a fundamental showman, allowing his every quirk and twitch to highlighting a hidden aspect of his band’s hazy and often times incomprehensible lyrics. Towards the end of the set, the band burst into “Skeleton Man,” an unstable love song that twists itself into knots before Jones mocks laughter and matter of factly declares, “when someone loves you very much, you’re fucked!” Its message might be construed as off putting (to say the least) if its morbid sentiment wasn’t layered beneath swirling strobe lights, pounding drums and a surprisingly appealing sense of melody.
i have to say, i’m a little dissappointed there’s no mention of Parenthetical Girls in this writeup. It was really exciting to have them back in DC, the last time they were here they played the warehouse….that was my sophmore year, so 2006? Yes, the booking may have been a little odd because the girls are far more experimental and performance based compared to how pleasant the other bands that night were, but their set was definitely notable. I was also dissappointed at how loud the crowd was while they played, when it was clear Zac Pennington was putting his whole self into the performance. I feel like a lot of people really missed out on a sincere and artful performance last saturday night….
October 8, 2008 at 8:24 pm