Menomena + Suckers + Tu Fawning @ The Church

This concert was one I had been looking forward to for a very long time, while Tu Fawning is great and I always enjoy a Suckers performance it was Menomena that really drew me in. That I got to see them perform material from their new album Mines in the sanctuary of a church made it pretty much the ideal concert experience.

Tu Fawning

Tu Fawning has a fantastic new album Heart On Hold out this year. It is dense and layered and definitely caught my attention when it crossed my path a while back so I very curious to see how it translated live. For the most part the layers were just as alluring as they were on the record. There were five bodies moving around the stage playing instruments both traditional and homemade; it was clear that the group is very interested in noise and its potential. They presented their material in a very deliberate and stately manner that contributed to a very large sound. The only caveat I had with their performance was the blatant use of a drum machine. During the start of one song it played for a little over a minute while all five people were doing nothing on stage. This was follow by a string of three songs that bled into each other, not so much organically but at the urging of the prerecorded beats. It was very awkward to see such an unnatural rhythm to the performance. These are the kinks young bands work through and considering Tu Fawning is still fresh I expect them to sort it out.

[MP3] The Felt Sense

Suckers

Seeing Suckers again, was a lot like seeing them for the first times since every previous performance I had caught was mostly in passing at SXSW so I wasn’t really able to sit back and take in the wonder that is their live performance. What may play as somewhat above par psych rock when recorded explodes into a raw burst of emotion and energy care of lead mad Quinn Walker who is the ring leader of this quartet. There isn’t a single moment that isn’t totally alive with intense drumming, complex percussion or fabulously approchable vocals.

I had never seen a sampler played with more deliberation, as each new sound was emitted there with this look of total pleasure that crossed their faces. It is enthralling to watch and even more so to hear. All four musicians played numerous instruments during the set, the drummer even rock the drums and a keyboard in a feat that even now boggles my own sense of coordination. The level of each person’s musical expertise was clear in that they are able to play as though they’ve thrown out all inhibition but still sound incredibly tight. They proved to be the perfect lead into Menomena’s set.

[MP3] It Gets Your Body Movin

Menomena

From the bass that swelled up and made you feel all warm inside to the attention to small details – like a jazzy piano riff right where you wouldn’t expect it, but where it makes total sense once you hear it, or the subtle urgency created by the slide guitar- I don’t know which element of Menomena’s performance was my favorite it. The whole hourlong set was awash with the same degree on intention that drive their album Mines. The vocals were effortless but spot on building lush harmonies at their meatiest curves and a haunting sparseness when thinned out. In the sanctuary of the church every sonic element claimed it’s own spectacular presence.

The flow of the entire set played out like the soundtrack to a movie. Hearing “Dirty Cartoons’” simple and pleading delivery live, backed by bass that rattled my stomach and the fullness of the heartbeat percussion left me in tears- which I have absolutely no shame in admitting. This was that kind of performance.

“Taos” was another stunning piece, it rocked in the truest sense; percussion flared, guitars raged, pianos kept it all grounded when it reached it fully unleashed peak it was spectacular. There were a few points where I noticed changes in the material, but knowing that Menomena tries to recreate as much of their studio sound live without using backing tracks it all carried authenticity as a show not simply a live play through the album.

This one claims – and most likely will not relinquish – best show of 2010.

[MP3] Wet & Rusting