In less than a week, I have gone to see two indie-rock bands perform in places of worship. Tonight’s performance by the Austin, TX band — part of the on-going Wordless Music Series — was held in the concert hall of the New York Society for Ethical Culture’s facilities on the Upper West Side. Although it looks like a church and functions like a church, it would be inaccurate to call it that. The concert hall’s interior is impressive and has obviously been optimized for acoustics. The venue certainly commands reverence but is completely void of any religious imagery or symbolism. This appears to be consistent with Ethical Culture customs and traditions.
In contrast to last week’s Arcade Fire show at Judson Memorial, the sell-out attendance was twice the size and seated in pews. The pews themselves have been arranged in typical concert hall/theater fashion with a balcony in the rear. If I was to compare this to any other reserved-seating concert, I was sitting in some exclusive seats; in the “orchestra” section four rows back and slightly to the right of the stage.
Also in contrast to the Arcade Fire show, Explosions in the Sky performed without a professional mix fed through a PA and were lit on stage only with the minimal red/blue house lights. If anything, this was more like a concert you would expect to see at a church — just the band on stage with their instruments, amplifiers and speaker cabs. Perhaps the lack of vocals in Explosions’ music deemed a PA mix unecessary.
Minimalist might be a good description of Explosions’ music. The band begins with a flowing guitar riff which leads into another, and then another. Three guitars (with the occasional bass) are sent through a chain of effects including a digital delay and phrase sampler (Boss Loop Stations, not Texas-made Boomerang pedals). The guitar players use a multitude of techniques to weave in and out of each other while taking the arrangements from decrescendo to crescendo. And they never stop playing until the entire set is complete when they walk off the stage sans a return encore.
The guitar playing is actually not impressive in the context of a virtuoso or solo player. It is the arrangement of the three guitar parts that impresses. Also standing out are the drums which provide the true backbone to the band’s experimental/ambient melodies. Explosions’ drum player is complex in his execution on the most meager of drum kits.
Once again I found myself enjoying an unusual and intimate rock performance. Ironically, I would like to see what Explosions in the Sky could do with a large outdoor venue with a loud and crisp PA mix and a Chris Kuroda-esque light show. That will probably never happen considering the band’s niche audience but if it did, I know of the perfect venue.
Setlist:
It’s Natural to be Afraid
Yasmin the Light
Welcome, Ghosts
Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean
Your Hand in Mine
What do you go Home to?
The Only Moment we were Alone
Note: Explosions in the Sky appeared on Conan O’ Brien this evening with guests Heather Graham and Lewis Black. Perhaps a YouTube clip of the performance will surface at some point…
I was just listening to Explosions In The Sky - Welcome, Ghosts