Spoon @ Sonar
Concertgoers couldn't have asked for a better show from Spoon (pictured) Friday night at Sonar.
The Texas four-piece brought a punchy, high-energy performance to the steaming-hot East Saratoga Street warehouse.
It felt like half the fans were Spoon followers for years, and the other half discovered the band when Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga came out last year.
And since it was an all-ages show, there were tons of high-school kids in attendance.
I hope I wasn't annoying like them in high school, but I probably was.
White Rabbits started things off with some tight, heavy indie rock. At times they had three people playing drums -- a thunderous way to kick off the lineup.
The Walkmen went next, and also put on a decent show. Singer Hamilton Leithauser has an incredible range.
Even though the Walkmen are a more established band than White Rabbits, I thought the Walkmen should have gone on first.
White Rabbits set a driving momentum which drug during the Walkmen's set and picked up again when Spoon hit the stage. But overall, it was one of the best indie rock shows I've seen in a while.
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
sound was awful for the openers, don't you think? so much bass, how could you ever forget sonar started as a drum and bass/EDM club...
Posted by: Aural States | April 14, 2008 3:35 PM
good point. white rabbits was really bass-heavy. so sweaty in there, too. those were my two biggest complaints: bass and heat.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | April 14, 2008 3:37 PM
i thought it was weird that the sound cleared up completely for spoon. almost like what best buy does with cheap tvs to make sonys look better by comparison.
white rabbits could easily fill the room as much as spoon with their sound if given a good sound guy.
not that spoon werent good, because they definitely rocked it. but i still hate the walkmen live.
Posted by: Aural States | April 14, 2008 3:43 PM
I went to the show and agree Spoon was insanely awesome.
I wonder if Britt meant it when he said it was a good crowd or if that's a line he drops at every show. It certainly felt like the former.
Posted by: Brandon | April 14, 2008 4:58 PM
Harrumph, sounds like a good show. Would have loved to have gone except I am pretty old now and hate hot crowds of kids.
Posted by: CD | April 14, 2008 9:02 PM
I thought all three acts were excellent. The drum sound from White Rabbits was massive and powerful, and I thought the singer for the Walkmen was actually the most dynamic frontman of the night, not to take anything away from Spoon.
I'm not usually one to complain about a crowd, but I was actually overwhelmed by the heat and the proximity. I thought it was great that there were teenagers there with their dads, but the ones who wedged their way into the middle near me had no idea how to behave at a show.
They got there by doing the "I'm just passing through" move, and then stayed, and then kept tossing their hair in the faces of everyone around them, and grinding up to strangers. They were oblivious to the requests of people around them, so I tried to escalate to the passive elbow, the "accidental" stomp on their foot, and all of my tried and true methods for standing my ground. I finally gave them the spot and wound up on the fringe of the crowd, where the heat wasn't so stifling.
I swear I'm not usually a whiner, and I still enjoyed the show...but those girls were too much for me.
Posted by: stella | April 15, 2008 9:32 AM
CD,
How old is old? I'm 46, most days feel 36 or younger. I still go to a lot of shows.
Granted the heat and sometimes obnoxious youngins were issues...but the show was worth it.
Britt and the guys know how to deliver. It was great to see them in a non-stadium size venue.
Posted by: Courtney B | April 15, 2008 12:00 PM
Speaking of the heat, who's gonna go see The Reverend Horton Heat May 9th?? (hint: I am)
:D
Posted by: Evan | April 15, 2008 12:35 PM
Courtney B,
Well I think you look 26! :) I was only joking about me being "old". Sarcasm attempt fails! I'm just 30, but I really don't like hot crowded shows, especially when I have trouble getting a drink. I like smaller venues with even smaller crowds! Though oddly, I've been known to go dancing at Taxlo from time to time with some of my younger female friends, go figure.
I really only missed it because I can't commit. I like making my decisions the night of... and unfortunately many shows sell out, or I find no friend who wants to go with, or I don't make up my mind what I'm doing until 10PM. That's a personal problem though. Wishing I'd made it this time because of the good reviews.
Posted by: CD | April 15, 2008 2:18 PM