Concert review.

Well, I hate to admit it, but it's been quite some time since I've been to a show featuring a national act that I dig. Actually, the last one I can think of was Anathallo and Aloha at the Subterranean in Chicago, and that was back in April (oy vey.)!

So, onward: A month or so ago, a friend of mine from work was nice enough to invite me to see a band that, for the past two years or so, has continued to grow on me at a venue to which I've never been, but have heard only good things. The show was last night.

The band: The Walkmen, from New York

The venue: The Southgate House, in Newport, KY

The band:

What I initially liked about The Walkmen was their singer, Hamilton Leithauser. His voice is rough, loud, and unique. However, what I've come to realize about the band is that they perfectly, and I mean perfectly compliment his voice. It's like the rest of the instrumentation is an extension of the character in his singing. At a glance, they seem sloppy, occasionally dissonant. Low, heavy drums; screaming organs and keys; gritty, reverb-heavy guitar, and ominous bass lines, combined with Leithauser on the microphone all combine to create a sound that draws heavily on 1950s pop sensibilities, but with a strange, often eerie quality. Upon closer inspection, it's quite easy to realize that it's all organized chaos. Their ability to pull of such a loose sound is a testament to their tight-knittedness as a band.

Live, they nailed it. Pretty much flawless. High energy, great sound, and Leithauser's singing was easily some the best live vocals I've ever heard. Ever. Flowing without effort between his general frantic but hushed melodies into belting out goosebump-inducing high notes. They even brought other guys on stage to do all the extra horn and alternate percussion stuff.
Also, the drummer was a nut. Watching him was one of the best parts of the show.

http://download.wbr.com/recordcollection/av/01 Lousiana.mp3
This is the song they played for their encore. It's called "Louisiana". They dragged it out to about 6-7 minutes, but it never once felt forced. It sounded perfect, and just watching them dearly love what they were doing was enough to keep me thoroughly engaged. One of the horn guys blasted out an incredibe trumpet solo at the end, too: a satisfying finish to an intimate, but epic performance.

The venue:

Very, very cool. The sound system was great, the sound guy was great. The atmosphere was great. A very charming, intimate venue. It's pretty small, which I always love. Plus, it's in an incredible location. Since the first two bands were unremarkable, my friend and I spent an hour and a half walking around the crazy outdoor mall/riverfront view/aquarium area across the street.

All in all, it was a great evening. Wonderful performance, excellent venue. I can't wait for another opportunity to see a band there, especially with some more friends.

Plus, there was this incredible-looking cookie shop that was closed by the time we got there, but I wanted very much to go inside and eat something(s):