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The Fillmore November 4, 2003 Review by Gregory Ahlbach After releasing their first album “Oh, Inverted World,” on Sub Pop Records, the Portland based band The Shins, were immediately shoved into the category of independent music’s elite. With this newfound distinction came the praise and scrutiny of indie music highbrows and hipsters across the globe. The album’s success was evident by the amount of play and positive review the band received from many media outlets. An example of the public catching onto their Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” era influenced sound, was found when the greasy hands of McDonald’s advertising executives used the track “New Slang” in a television commercial. The success of their first album had the band looking forward to getting back into the studio to work on some new material. This past summer, the band found itself recording in lead singer, James Mercer’s basement, as well at Avast! Studio, in Seattle, WA. Concluding the recording process, the band unleashed their newest LP entitled, “Chutes Too Narrow,” to the salivating public. Since the October 2003 release, the band’s sophomore output has been applauded from both critics and fans alike. Following the release, Mercer and his band mates announced that they would be promoting their latest opus on tour in support of another critically acclaimed band, Modest Mouse. Following the revelation of a late fall tour, music fans across the country looked forward to the onset of winter by welcoming the two bands to their respective cities. Making a stop in the “City by the Bay,” from November 2nd- 4th, the two groups sold out all three shows at the historic Fillmore Auditorium. On the last night of their 3-day stint, I was lucky enough to obtain a ticket. Being one of the privileged to attend, I hoped I was embarking on the, “Concert of the Year.” The Shins, appeared onstage to the acclamation of the younger crowd that was bundled up in jackets and scarves in reaction to the season’s brisk weather. The audience waited in eager anticipation for the reserved front man’s first note. Immediately, the band went into the opening track, “Caring is Creepy,” from their first album, “Oh, Inverted World.” Upon immediate auscultation, I couldn’t help but notice singer James Mercer’s crystal clear voice. To me, it sounded as if the vibration of his vocal cords emitted a sound that is more impressive live than on CD. Next came, “Kissing the Lipless,” the opening track from their newest record, “Chutes Too Narrow.” This track began with Mercer exclusively strumming his guitar while crooning the opening verse. At this moment, his band-mates waited in silence for their cues. The audience’s cheer provided a wonderful backdrop to the sound of Mercer’s delicate vocal and strum. In a timely fashion, the band joined in and Mercer showed off his vocal range by raising his voice to the rafters, roaring the line, “You told us of your new life there.” Following this, the tune climaxed with a distorted James Mercer guitar hook that displayed his dexterity for the instrument that I never imagined he had. After the carefully orchestrated guitar-work ceased, the band found its way back to the songs quieter and more harmonious inception. Soon after, the band played the up-tempo track, “Mine’s Not a High Horse,” from their latest offering. At this point, their performance began to suffer a bit. During the song, one of Mercer’s guitar strings broke. The outcome of the broken string seemed to understandably disconcert the band. This forced them to unexpectedly alter their set-list. In total desperation, the band pleaded to the members of Modest Mouse to rescue them from their dilemma. After failing to get a response, they continued on. The lull between songs became longer. The band looked to each other in frustration and attempted to reconstruct the set list taking into account the limited number of instruments at their disposal. This unfortunate dilemma forced the musicians to increase the banter with the audience. This was seen when keyboardist Marty Crandall entertained the fans by tossing candy into the crowd. The uneasiness in the room increased as the scrapped set went on. Eventually, the problem was mended when a stage- hand grabbed the battered instrument and brought it back stage to be re-strung. With 15 minutes left in the set, the situation was medicated and the band looked determined to rise above their unfortunate bad luck. By playing four of their most outstanding songs at the end of the set, they were able to redeem themselves. Beginning with a flawless version of “Pressed in a Book,” and ending with an untouchable, “KnowYour Onion!,” the band exited the stage to the applause of a jubilant crowd. Following the supporting performance, Modest Mouse, was ready to make their presence in San Francisco felt. The excitement elevated from minute to minute as the attendance increased and filled the venue from wall to wall. After a delay, the lights dulled and the words “Modest Mouse,” illuminated from the projection screen behind the stage. Realizing their wait would soon be consummated; the assembly expressed their furor for the entertainers, with a piercing applause, as they walked on stage. Appearing last, front man, Isaac Brock, feeling a bit under the weather, emerged lightheartedly with his mouth concealed by a surgical mask. The band kicked off their set in a rocking manner beginning the show with the upbeat song, “Paper thin Walls.” Singing with his mouth in obstruction, Brock’s vocals were nearly inaudible. This caused me great displeasure, because the track is one of their finest. Eventually, Brock, tired of the masks limitations, ripped it off his face and clamored the lyrics, “Laugh hard it’s a long way to the bank.” From this point on, Brock and his band were focused on giving the San Francisco crowd a performance worth the price of admission. Further into the set the band unveiled a new track that had the audience floored. The groups showed off their technological prowess with this tune by playing their instruments along with a beat extracted from a laptop computer. At this point the audience was in a blissful state. With the new tune, I can’t help but look forward to the bands future LP. The highlight of their set was the song, “Cowboy Dan” a composition off their 1997 LP, “Lonesome Crowded West.” Beginning with Brock’s staple barbed vocal styling, the song eventually gave way to a soft and melodious refrain. Throughout the Modest Mouse set, I couldn’t help but notice Brock’s stage presence. His dynamic demeanor on stage intrigued me. His movements were as jagged as his voice. At times he appeared in a constant struggle with his body. The _expression on his face portrayed a passion felt for every word vocalized. This articulated a broad spectrum of human emotion. Whether conveying anguish or happiness, his passion towards his craft was apparent. This enthusiasm on stage spilled into the audience, making it an enjoyable experience. Both bands were solid in a live setting. The Shins show lacked energy at times due to the technical problems that was beyond their control. Despite their technical difficulties and my high expectations, they were able to recover by playing their last four songs in an enchanting manner. With regards to Modest Mouse, feeling ill, Isaac Brock was able to muster enough energy to make it through an exhausting set. His determination to please did not go unnoticed. Despite minor faults in both shows, I will see to it that I attend the next time they are in town. With a constantly growing fan base and increasing exposure to the public, attaining a ticket in the future will become a more arduous task than it already is. If the trend continues, five nights at the Fillmore wouldn’t satisfy the demand for tickets. --- Read our previous Modest Mouse review: October 9th, 2000 @ The Fillmore View photos from previous Shins shows: April 26, 2002 @ Great American Music Hall June 12, 2002 @ The Fillmore ©2003 playinginfog.com |