I’d been hearing about Bronze Fawn from a lot of my friends, as everyone knows I’m a big ol’ instrumental noise rock geek. I asked around about when the next show was and found out about the Comet’s Sunday Matinee show. What could be better than seeing a really good show on a lazy weekend afternoon and still being able to sober up in time for Sunday dinner?
The atmosphere at the Comet was completely chill and not at all too hipster. People filtered in and out, hanging with friends, gave the bands their due. You know, easy like Sunday morning and all, but instead of easy-listening and brunch it was hard core noise and hard liquor.
I caught the tail end of the opening 3-piece, The Corespondents (yes, that’s how they spell it). I really enjoyed what I heard from them, a very Tom Waits/Tiger Lilies-inspired Italian gypsy psychedelia. It was one of those times where you cruise in, get a drink, talk to your friends for a second and then suddenly you’re like “Who is this band? This is AWESOME!” I’d like to see the Corespondents again to fully appreciate them, and apparently they have a standing gig at Cafe Racer every Monday night.
Second in the lineup were Arbitron, a hopelessly sexy (without even trying) 2-piece. Super heavy, gut wrenching bass, incredible drumming and amazing energy. The whole set was just a mind-numbing, ass-kicking, seizure-inducing onslaught. I couldn’t tear myself away for a second, I was rooted where I stood and completely riveted. I likened it to Lightning Bolt meets the Fall. Apparently this was a relatively mild Arbitron show, as no one ended up battered and bloody in the end. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but I plan on seeing them again and again and again. And again. This song in particular really caught me:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IrBahizhFI]Third band up was Bronzed Chorus, from Greensboro, North Carolina. Another 2-piece, they were truly the standout band of the day. Apparently the turnout at the Comet on Sunday was greater than all other nights on the previous week of their tour combined. Which is a shame, because that means so many people missed out on this truly exceptional duo. I got some strains of Mono, Pinback and Modest Mouse just out of their first track. The drummer was simultaneously playing a synth with one hand and drumming with the other, something I’ve never seen before which was ridiculously impressive! Their constructs were simply gorgeous, yet intense and fast. I also picked up influences such as The Cure and Explosions in the Sky (I could be wrong, that’s just what I heard in there). Bronzed Chorus knows how to work the instrumental heavy metal formula perfectly. The music had some great transitions, some very abrupt and containing a nice element of surprise. The short set got exponentially better as it progressed, every . The completely mind blowing last song of the set had the whole audience at a standstill. Afterward, I talked briefly to the boys and was struck by how genteel and polite they were. I love Southern boys!
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNW-s6w47wY]Finally Bronze Fawn. I’d been waiting for several weeks to see this band. The first song contained the classic dreamy cymbal ringing and tremulous guitar. It had that really good “well up and cry” feeling to it, the buildup causing that pleasant tension throughout my body. Enter the helicopter swells. I go blind temporarily. I can’t breathe, I can’t think. I lose the ability to communicate in complete sentences. Top quality organic, instrumental madness. Rich, clear and emotional. Ridiculous guitar narratives, stylistically creative and strategic. Somewhere in there, Bronze Fawn let us know that they’ll be opening for Polvo at the Crocodile on 6 October and I don’t know which band I’m more stoked to see now!
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ7LE3LMw_8]Everyone should check back on a regular basis with the Comet to see what other Sunday Matinee shows are in store for us. Based on the quality of the lineup of this Sunday, I’ll definitely keep going back, especially seeing as fall and winter are on us, these shows could be a cool way to keep the winter doldrums at bay. Only problem forseen, I definitely wasn’t sober in time for dinner.