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Tour Dates
10/01 Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
10/02 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge * 10/05 Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theatre * 10/06 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music * 10/08 Portland, OR @ Star Theater * 10/09 Seattle, WA @ Neumos * 10/10 Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club * * w/ Beverly Read More
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“It doesn’t feel like a Monday,” The Drums’ Jonny Pierce said hovering above a near-capacity Triple Rock crowd last night. Indeed, the 3-band roster of dream-pop extraordinaires were the perfect antidote to everyone’s early work-week woes.
Hometown band The Graveyard Club started the night off with a handful of spooky synth-laced gems and featured main duo Matthew Schufman (vocals/keyboard) and Michael Wojtalewicz (guitarist) alongside newer members Cory Jacobs on drums and Amanda Zimmerman on bass. Today, after a putting out few EPs and singles earlier this year, the band happily announced the digital release of their debut, Nightingales.
Beverly, a Brooklyn-based trio that began as a recording project between Drew Citron and The Dum Dum Girls’ Frankie Rose (although she is absent on tour), took to the stage next. Guitarist/singer Citron filled the club with a pleasing eruption of bright and gauzy guitar as drummer Jamie Ingalls provided a percussive backdrop so powerful the glass doors and windows to the venue shivered with the beat. Lead singer and guitarist Citron’s gorgeous, airy vocals lingered just above the sweet distortion and I immediately thought of Kim Deal and Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval. With a strong 30-odd-minute set riddled with great songs like “Honey Do” and the Pixies-influenced “Madora” (featuring a hypnotic bassline from Scott Rosenthal), I dare say that Beverly has won over more than just a few new fans. The band dropped their first full-length record, Careers, back in July and it’s become one of my favorite albums of 2014.
Riding in on a spectacular wave of beachy, bittersweet synth-pop, The Drums established a dedicated following with 2010’s self-titled and 2011’s Portamento; two records that practically sound like a greatest hits, each song better than the last. The band is currently touring behind their most recent release, Encyclopedia, and while there have been a few line-up changes since they were last in town, yesterday evening found them in fine form. Opening with “Bell Laboratories” from the new album before busting out some oldies, bleach-blonde frontman Pierce said little, but emoted lots. In front of a four piece group of players that included longtime guitarist and founding member Jacob Graham and a giant patch bay synthesizer, Pierce cooed and wailed in a voice as fluid as the movements of his swaying body. Fans writhed with joy and echoed the choruses of favorites like “Money” and “Book of Stories” and raised their hands in approval of new songs like “I Can’t Pretend” and “Magic Mountain” (which sounds much better live than it does on the recording). The wistful “Days” was a highlight for me, along with the fantastic five song encore that showcased b-side “Don’t Be a Jerk, Johnny” and deliriously infectious “Let’s Go Surfing” (which always reminds me of the British television comedy “The Inbetweeners”).
The Drums’ US tour concludes at the end of October. Then they head abroad for Europe and Japan.
*Very special thank you to the kind and hardworking staff at the Triple Rock!
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Nightingales
Graveyard Club
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Beverly
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Riding in on a spectacular wave of beachy, bittersweet synth-pop, The Drums established a dedicated following with 2010’s self-titled and 2011’s Portamento; two records that practically sound like a greatest hits, each song better than the last. The band is currently touring behind their most recent release, Encyclopedia, and while there have been a few line-up changes since they were last in town, yesterday evening found them in fine form. Opening with “Bell Laboratories” from the new album before busting out some oldies, bleach-blonde frontman Pierce said little, but emoted lots. In front of a four piece group of players that included longtime guitarist and founding member Jacob Graham and a giant patch bay synthesizer, Pierce cooed and wailed in a voice as fluid as the movements of his swaying body. Fans writhed with joy and echoed the choruses of favorites like “Money” and “Book of Stories” and raised their hands in approval of new songs like “I Can’t Pretend” and “Magic Mountain” (which sounds much better live than it does on the recording). The wistful “Days” was a highlight for me, along with the fantastic five song encore that showcased b-side “Don’t Be a Jerk, Johnny” and deliriously infectious “Let’s Go Surfing” (which always reminds me of the British television comedy “The Inbetweeners”).
The Drums’ US tour concludes at the end of October. Then they head abroad for Europe and Japan.
*Very special thank you to the kind and hardworking staff at the Triple Rock!
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The Drums at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (29 Sep 2014) |
