Freelance Whales - Great Scott (Boston, MA; Oct. 29, 2009)

Thursday night did not get off to a good start. The Phillies were losing, my camera lens was malfunctioning, and Great Scott was uncharacteristically making concert-goers wait outside in the cold for 30 minutes after doors were supposed to open, which, needless to say, was not helping my sore throat and runny nose. I was less than enthusiastic. 

I was willing to wait and shiver on the corner of Harvard and Comm for one reason: the hope that Freelance Whales‘ live performance would be the tonic to cure my ills.

Once inside the venue’s warm haven, I set up on the right side of the stage, secondary lens in hand and one eye on the TV. As the five members of the Whales—a band whose genesis can be traced to a serendipitous craigslist posting by lead singer Judah Dadone—took the stage, the at-capacity crowd swarmed forward, intrigued to hear what these kids had in store. Dadone began by plucking a banjo, ringing in the familiar notes of album opener “Generator^First Floor.” The track pops just as nicely on stage as it does on record, and within moments I knew we were in for a treat.

The set generally followed the arc of Weathervanes, the group’s debut album. “Generator^First Floor” was followed by album standout “Hannah,” which in turn was followed by “Location.” It was on “Location” that the band really hit its stride, with Dadone settling into a comfortable vocal range and the rest of the ensemble following suit. Harmonies fell into place. Rhythms meshed. The crowd got hooked.

A cello bow applied to the strings of a guitar created an ethereal ambience, a lush blanket that covered Great Scott and cleared the canvas of the chatter that normally accompanies an opening band. Freelance Whales worked upon that canvas, sometimes rocking out on songs like “Great Estates” and elsewhere choosing an eerie, airy feel, like on “Ghosting.” With the exception of drummer Jake Hyman, the members of Freelance Whales alternated fluidly among instruments, transitions in mood being matched by shifting orchestration. They took turns on banjo, bass, guitar, synths, percussion, squeezebox, and waterphone, standing four abreast at the front of the stage and giving equal voice to their catalog of songs.

Nowhere was the band tighter than on “Starring” and “Kilojoules,” two middle-of-the-pack album tracks that found new life in a live setting. The young band had the audience entranced all night, hooked from the start and listening rapturously to the intricate melodies the band was crafting. For a band playing only their second show outside of New York City, Freelance Whales were confident and loose, moving easily among instruments, songs, and moods. They played with an enthusiasm that fit their growing buzz.

It was hard not to have flashbacks on this late October evening to a concert in my past—late last year I caught Passion Pit’s EP release show at this very venue. It was a similar scene: young band building buzz, finding their feet in front of a hundred or so people at a sold-out weeknight show. And just like that evening in the fall of 2008, I was engulfed on Thursday night by awesomely immersive music. When Freelance Whales finished their set, they met mid-stage and exchanged hugs, proud of what they had accomplished. Refreshed and rejuvenated, I felt like doing the same thing to the strangers around me.

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