Lit only by shimmering, diamond-shaped stage props, Beach House filled the Paradise Rock Club with remarkably radiant energy. Such an aural feat was somewhat unexpected, considering Beach House’s languid, pensive music.
As they opened their set with “Walk in the Park”—a particularly repetitive tune—the trio immediately started to rock back-and-forth to the pounding synths, with the crowd following suit. Each song thereafter brought similar, surprising life to the stage. Alex Scally complemented his ethereal, understated guitar playing with incessant head nods; Victoria Legrand complemented her rhythmic synths and wandering vocals with bursts of volume and expression. Together they augmented their otherwise gentle compositions, engaging the crowd in a trance-like conversation.
With seamless transitions and little introduction, the band played their latest release Teen Dream almost in its entirety. The only older track this writer noted was “Gila” from 2008’s Devotion. (I welcome corrections, astute readers.) With a few years of touring under their belt, Beach House know how to craft a tight setlist. For example, after a handful of painfully slow songs, they launched into “Used to Be,” a more upbeat piece where the lighthearted rhythm takes center stage.
Though Legrand’s vocals clearly filled the room, the quality of the sound mixing was mildly inconsistent. “Norway,” the band’s current radio single, particularly suffered. On Teen Dream, Scally’s guitar slide offers a vexing, dissonant base to the track, causing this listener to flip-flop her view of the song as either brilliant or unlistenable (more often the former). Live, the guitar was drowned out by the synths.
Before the band performed an encore of “10 Mile Stereo,” Legrand told the audience, “I hope you could feel things, and it didn’t bother you that you couldn’t see things.” With lights on for the first time, the crowd could clearly see the band and their satisfied expressions, hidden yet felt throughout the evening.
Opening for Beach House was friend of the band, Bachelorette, the performing name of New Zealand‘s Annabel Alpers. Armed with a loop pedal, a laptop and a smattering of instruments, Bachelorette offered a lovely, melodic set, ranging from dreamy to psychedelic to dance* pop. Bachelorette is absolutely worth an early arrival, proven by the audience’s sincere, enthusiastic reception.
* In David Foster Wallace**’s essay, “Joseph Frank’s Dostoevsky,” Wallace contends that the great Russian novelist, “appears to possess degrees of passion, conviction, and engagement with deep moral issues that we - here, today - cannot or do not permit ourselves.” He argues that any current novelist who would attempt such ideology-pushing would be laughed out of town by his cynical colleagues. I was reminded of this interpretation as a young man (now referred to as “least fave gay” or LFG) took advantage of a lull following Bachelorette’s first song by crying out, “For real, fuckers, learn how to move your bodies!” Behind LFG’s plea lived a deeply rooted conviction: if music has a beat, it requires dancing. If a group of people hear this beat, they must dance together, creating a collective energy, a collaborative creation, which is Important. The crowd, however, did not heed LFG’s call. Even Bachelorette, upon hearing him, appeared to cringe with embarrassment.
Reducing the offensive nature of LFG’s ideology pushing to one philosophical conflict, I would consider the value of collective (LFG) vs. individual (the common indie fan) experience. The stereotypical indie rock audience is described as emotionless, unmoved and—the more disparaging label—disengaged. But why judge this style of appreciation negatively? By playing in near darkness, perhaps Bachelorette and Beach House would agree that visual interactions between band and audience are unnecessary. As I quoted Legrand above, she valued “feel[ing]” over “see[ing].” On their own, Beach House certainly created an energy independent of the fan. Without delving too deeply into Walter Benjamin’s thoughts on art and its reception, I simply argue that there’s beauty in a musician performing without knowing the listener’s reaction and vice versa.
Watching LFG dance in a sea of stoic souls, I was further reminded of the starkly contrasting Keller Williams show at this same venue two nights previous. Like Bachelorette, Williams was alone with a handful of instruments and a loop pedal. As Williams searched for a new instrument to loop, the crowd watched, bated, bursting into cheers as he presented… two metal sticks [wild applause]! a cowbell [hoots, hollers and so forth]! But as Bachelorette looped vocal over vocal, over guitar, over tambourine, over synths, the crowd silently fell deeper and deeper into the dream world she created. For Williams, the crowd passionately belted out lyrics to the classic rock covers “Dead or Alive” and “Midnight Rider,” but for Beach House, the crowd intently watched Legrand sing; hers the only lips moving in the room.
I compare the one-man jam band and dream pop audiences not to judge one appreciation as better than the other. But, like reading a great moral-promoting novel, I do often laugh at a certain audience’s response to a show. I read a heartfelt, passionate review of a Phish concert and feel an ineffable sadness at its sincerity. Or I observe one too many drunk, bottle blondes flirting with an air-kicking guitarist and label the band bar-rock.
That being said, jam bands are the worst.
**To truly honor the late Wallace, this footnote will be longer than the main text. Further, it will wrestle with an issue to a point where the reader fears the absence of a conclusion, but will, in fact, end with one, simple salient statement. It will also have a sub-footnote, to wit, what you have just read.
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Two songs go in, one comes out. Pick a side.
Also, I have yet to pay this venue a visit, is it good spot? good people, good vibe, good atmosphere?
... man, i hope i win some tickets…
by Jaz Bonnin-Aldatz on Thu May 17, 2012 at 12.27 am from the entry: It's all good, see Fishbone for free at Fête
Looking forward to the show. Would love to win some tix for my pals.
by MC Breath on Wed May 16, 2012 at 07.40 pm from the entry: It's all good, see Fishbone for free at Fête
I’m dying to see him no better place than FETE!!
by Telly on Tue May 15, 2012 at 02.57 pm from the entry: we'll see you (and Talib Kweli) at Fête!
Sound does matter. Viva Le Fete!
by Auquanetta on Tue May 15, 2012 at 01.13 pm from the entry: we'll see you (and Talib Kweli) at Fête!
YES! i MUST go to this show! i was just strollin down the street the other day and saw the poster! SO stoked they’ll be in town.
by Jaz on Mon May 14, 2012 at 05.30 pm from the entry: It's all good, see Fishbone for free at Fête
Fete Forever!!
by Tabitha on Mon May 14, 2012 at 05.08 pm from the entry: we'll see you (and Talib Kweli) at Fête!
Congratulations and thank you to Fete for bringing talent to Providence! We needed this venue and vibe. Bless.
oh and I’d love to win tickets; its my boyfriends bday:D
by Ellen on Mon May 14, 2012 at 07.23 am from the entry: we'll see you (and Talib Kweli) at Fête!
They played “Master of None” from their first album.
Beth, I’m in love with you.
well written, well worth my time, well done.
thanks, kids! colin, remember when I said your reviews were too long? hello, kettle, my name is pot!
My view is write what you feel. If that requires length than so be it. Not everything on the internet has to be short. As long as it’s interesting, and this was.
what about this band inspires such literary flights? Check Ari getting all grammatical with passive voice and gerunds. http://www.melophobe.com/concert-reviews/beach-house-papercuts-nat-baldwin-middle-east-upstairs-cambridge/
They also played “Astronaut” and I think “Heart of Chambers.” Sadly “You Came to Me” was not to be found…