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Pleasently Surprised and Tucson Keeps Getting Smaller
24 Sep 2007, 07:27
Fri 21 Sep – The New Pornographers
I heard about The New Pornographers about a year ago on the radio and recently heard one of my friends talking about going to the show. I started listening to The New Pornographers about 2 weeks ago so I'd be ready. It so happened that I ended up biking alone to the show at The Rialto Theatre on Sept. 21st.
I got to the show right after the first act got off the stage. Right as I got to the floor I saw none other than my art history professor! He's a 40ish-looking guy and I steered clear of him and his amigos. I did a full walk around the pit and who else did I run into? My chemistry teaching assistant and some of her grad student friends! I wasn't going to drink so I awkwardly stood there, made a little small talk, and even stood with them through the second act, Lavender Diamond.
Lavender Diamond was ok; I rate them a 6/10. The music was elegant and harmonious but not memorable or impacting in any way. The vocalist had the kind of charm someone on pot might have. By that I mean she was really relaxed, goofy, and made odd statements about her surroundings.
After the second act, I met one of my friend's old roommates. Let's just say she was way too excited to see me. A second later I get poked by a gal I've been talking to at recent community bike rides, which get about 160 people. She said she was alone so I left the dull grad students and moved up to the front of the pit with her. Interestingly enough I was greeted by some more people I had met on a BICAS bike ride. We got to talk a bit before The New Pornographers got on stage and that's when I real show started. By this I mean it's when the REAL performers got on stage and all the fans started to show some emotion.
The only way I could show my appreciation was to dance and sing along to their songs (Use It, Sing Me Spanish Techno, These Are the Fables, etc.). My friend left a little early and I stayed to hear The New Pornographers play three extra songs after closing their set. Some of the highlights of the night were when the secondary singer(name?) walked around the stage with a beer and sung songs and also when the band's (or Neko Case's?) dog came onto the stage during a song. Oh, btw, I really like the size and diversity of the ensemble. Neko Case's has a great voice (so does the lead singer) and this show was done pretty well.
I was REALLY surprised by all the familiar faces I saw that night but Tucson has been getting smaller and smaller by the day recently. Early on I rated The New Pornographers at a 5/10 but they're a strong 7/10 now. I set a really high bar when it comes to rating anything so please take that into consideration. I hope I get to compare them to Rilo Kiley, Architecture in Helsinki, and Modest Mouse when those shows roll into town.
Prabjit
I heard about The New Pornographers about a year ago on the radio and recently heard one of my friends talking about going to the show. I started listening to The New Pornographers about 2 weeks ago so I'd be ready. It so happened that I ended up biking alone to the show at The Rialto Theatre on Sept. 21st.
I got to the show right after the first act got off the stage. Right as I got to the floor I saw none other than my art history professor! He's a 40ish-looking guy and I steered clear of him and his amigos. I did a full walk around the pit and who else did I run into? My chemistry teaching assistant and some of her grad student friends! I wasn't going to drink so I awkwardly stood there, made a little small talk, and even stood with them through the second act, Lavender Diamond.
Lavender Diamond was ok; I rate them a 6/10. The music was elegant and harmonious but not memorable or impacting in any way. The vocalist had the kind of charm someone on pot might have. By that I mean she was really relaxed, goofy, and made odd statements about her surroundings.
After the second act, I met one of my friend's old roommates. Let's just say she was way too excited to see me. A second later I get poked by a gal I've been talking to at recent community bike rides, which get about 160 people. She said she was alone so I left the dull grad students and moved up to the front of the pit with her. Interestingly enough I was greeted by some more people I had met on a BICAS bike ride. We got to talk a bit before The New Pornographers got on stage and that's when I real show started. By this I mean it's when the REAL performers got on stage and all the fans started to show some emotion.
The only way I could show my appreciation was to dance and sing along to their songs (Use It, Sing Me Spanish Techno, These Are the Fables, etc.). My friend left a little early and I stayed to hear The New Pornographers play three extra songs after closing their set. Some of the highlights of the night were when the secondary singer(name?) walked around the stage with a beer and sung songs and also when the band's (or Neko Case's?) dog came onto the stage during a song. Oh, btw, I really like the size and diversity of the ensemble. Neko Case's has a great voice (so does the lead singer) and this show was done pretty well.
I was REALLY surprised by all the familiar faces I saw that night but Tucson has been getting smaller and smaller by the day recently. Early on I rated The New Pornographers at a 5/10 but they're a strong 7/10 now. I set a really high bar when it comes to rating anything so please take that into consideration. I hope I get to compare them to Rilo Kiley, Architecture in Helsinki, and Modest Mouse when those shows roll into town.
Prabjit
