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Showbox Market . Seattle, WA
Reviewed by Ryan Pangilinan on 09/24
Tagged 2009 alternative rock female vocalists folk punk folk rock frank turner indiana bands indie rock murder by death new jersey bands pennsylvania bands pop-punk punk rock rock singer-songwriter the gaslight anthem the loved ones uk bands
Though they've been around for a few years, New Jersey's The Gaslight Anthem has recently been picking up steam with the release of their sophomore album, 2008's
The 59 Sound. Appealing to rockabilly kids, punx (note the x), frat boys, and old people alike, they're often compared to Bruce Springsteen and even opened up for him during a recent UK-run. Their eclectic fanbase is something that's reflected on by the lineup of the shows they play, with their fall headlining run featuring a who's-who of Punknews.org favorites like Indiana's Murder By Death, Philadelphia's The Loved Ones, and Englishman and Orlando Bloom-doppelganger Frank Turner.
Frank Turner, a student of the Billy Bragg school of folk-punk, with riot inciting and well-read lyrics and a too-cool-for-fools demeanor, makes it obvious why he's one of the year's biggest critical darlings. In a mixed venue like the Showbox (and a show that was promoted by Seattle's biggest rock station), though, Turner and his message were lost.
The Loved Ones were probably the best fitting band on this tour, though you wouldn't know it by the fact that they're on Fat Wreck, a label synonymous with NOFX and Fat Mike's (hilarious) mouth. Breezing through a 20-minute set, Dave Hause and company did the best they could playing as a three piece (they normally play as a quartet), taking songs from their last three releases. Even people who weren't familiar with the band were clapping along, which is an incredibly difficult feat at a bigger show.
Murder By Death was probably the wild card on this bill. A mish-mash of Johnny Cash, baroque themes, and indie rock, all the neo-Goths (including models for Seattle Exotic Underground) and rockabilly kids rushed the stage to watch this band perform. Personally, I think that Murder By Death is one of the most underrated bands today. It's criminal that it's taken this band so long to play a large venue like the Showbox, even as a direct opener, simply because their performances are enchanting. Their selection ranged from tracks like "Until Morale Improves, The Beatings Will Continue" from
Who Will Survive, And What Will Be Left Of Them? to those from their newest album,
Red of Tooth and Claw. Easily stealing the show from The Gaslight Anthem, Murder By Death will no doubt finally be a band to watch for mainstream America.
As far as the Gaslight Anthem goes, I've expressed how much distaste I have for bands who sound exactly like they do on their records. It happened with The Stills, Bayside, and this band. While it is a great testament to their ability as musicians and perfectionists, it's also a bit of a bummer to see bands without any real great stage presence or mistakes. Sure, a band like Alkaline Trio may screw up a lot during their set, but fuck if it isn't funny or unexpected.
Even with a disappointing set by the headlining band, I found that show was probably one of the better ones I've been to in a long time, and all these bands are worth checking out either on stage or through your mp3 player.
what do you think?
