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Great American Music Hall February 7, 2004 Review by Gregory W. Ahlbach Popular culture is the moody and unforgiving bastard child that we conceive and claim no responsibility for. We praise cultural icons, to the point of absurdity, and then we discard them like a bad habit. Our most respected and highly publicized beings are heralded today and shunned tomorrow. In recent weeks, we have seen examples of our infatuation with the media’s excessive coverage of iconic figures such as Howard Dean and his “outburst” and Janet Jackson and her Super Bowl strip show. As the public’s admiration for an individual increases, so does the potential for public scrutiny. For some, the onslaught of bad attention is deserved while for others it is not. In popular music, we see examples of this occurring all the time. The intentions of record industry executives are partly responsible. By finding “the next big thing” and squeezing every ounce of publicity out of them, they are able to fill their wallets with little concern for the artists and their careers. This overexposure causes popular acts to leave the spotlight with the changing of the seasons. In many instances this forces artists to constantly fear they will attain success too quickly, leading them to an early exit from the stage. Being branded a “One hit wonder” by the fickle public frequently shatters artist’s musical aspirations. The New York based band, Nada Surf, can testify to how temperamental our culture is. After releasing the album “High/Low” in 1996, the band gained recognition with the ironically titled song, “Popular”. The song’s constant play on radio and television opened the band to public probing, and the band immediately felt the effects. When ready to release their follow-up LP entitled “The Proximity Effect”, everyone lost interest including their label. At this point the band found itself with a complete album with no means to put it out domestically. During this time in music, the grunge-rock era had ended and the group was no longer fashionable. The airwaves were polluted with hip-hop songs that recycled classic-rock beats. For some reason, during the early years of the current century, we seemed to think a rock/rap collaboration between P.Diddy and Jimmy Paige was more palatable. Unable to release the album on a major label in their homeland, Nada Surf was dependent upon their success in Europe to finance their career. After a hiatus from the industry, primary songwriter Matthew Caws decided to take a break and focus on his songwriting. The result of his labor was the album, “Let Go”. The album was a quieter and more introverted album. This approach was a refreshing change of direction for the band. After shopping around for an independent label to put out their newest production, the band found a home in the Pacific Northwestern Barsuk Records. The album introduced the band to a new audience and a mountain of critical praise. After being shamed by popular culture following the release of “The Proximity Effect”, the band garnered increasing play on college radio across the country with their latest offering, “Let Go”. On February 7th, 2004, I had the pleasure to watch their San Francisco performance with support from On the Speakers and The Long Winters, at the Great American Music Hall. The sold-out crowd, as I had expected, was a mixed bunch. An assortment of ages ranged from “too young to be out this late” to “was probably present for the 1984 Scorpions west coast arena tour.” Regardless of the crowds age range, all in attendance seemed to enjoy the performances. On the Speakers, a group of local musicians who recently relocated to the Los Angeles, area was the first band to play. The band headed by Ian Sefchick, the 80’s mustache touting former front man of the recently defunct Creeper Lagoon, greatly impressed me. Their cohesive sound reflected a younger, well-rehearsed band at the initial stages of what could be a promising career. On this night, they put as many songs into the rotation as possible which successfully showcased the material from their self-titled debut E.P. Their live show soared with catchy guitar hooks, honey glazed melodies and a bassist who took up the entire stage with his tumultuous movement. Possessing the demanding stage presence they did, it wasn’t surprising hearing that they have recently inked a major label deal. Barring future success, as long as they don’t implement choreography and multiple wardrobe changes to their live show, I look forward to seeing them again. Next on stage came The Long Winters, an all-star cast of musicians revolving around the songwriting of Pacific Northwestern minstrel John Roderick. Having seen them several times before, I had a notion of what they would be like. However, my expectations differed from what was presented. Since I had seen them last, a couple of personnel changes had been made. The changes consisted of replacing their previous drummer with Michael Schorr (formerly with Death Cab for Cutie) and also adding an auxiliary guitarist. By increasing and improving the instrumentation, the band filled in the sonic void apparent in their previous shows. This allowed Roderick’s talented songwriting to be pushed to the forefront. One highlight of the show was the fan favorite song “Car Parts”. This tune had the audience captivated by the keyboard playing and backing vocals of Sean Nelson. The songs light and giddy- pop aesthetic had the crowd moving side to side. Next, the track “The Sound of Coming Down,” did to the audience what its title implies. With a heartfelt chorus and a guitar driven interlude, it grounded the masses from the more obvious pop craftsmanship of “Car Parts.” The recent changes made in the band’s lineup, conveys Roderick’s determination to put out the best product possible. For this I applaud him, and I look forward to seeing his band when they come to town again. Lastly, Nada Surf appeared on stage and played their hearts out. By utilizing a set list made up of songs from “Let Go,” and the forgotten album, “The Proximity Effect,” the band enchanted its fans. As they went through their set, the band was bombarded with cheers of joy and appreciation. Their performance was unmarred and seemed effortless. Matthew Caw’s vocals were chaperoned nicely by the crashing symbols and drum lambasting of Ira Elliot, and the bass playing/ background singing of the chain smoking Daniel Lorca. Highlights of the show included versions of several songs from their newest release. They presented songs like; “Blizzard of ’77”, “Fruit Flies”, and “Killian’s Red”, to the audiences delight. Other note-worthy songs came from the relatively unknown album “The Proximity Effect”. Included were the commendation-worthy songs “Hyperspace” and “Amateur”. Although the entire night was filled with illumination, the most ornate moment occurred during the encore when they played the song “Blonde on Blonde”. This composition began with the light plucking of Caws’ guitar strings and a light tapping of the bass drum and the ride symbol. The song moved into to a stunning chorus that caromed off the walls of Great American Music Hall. The audience gladly mirrored Caws as he sang, “I got Blonde on Blonde on my portable stereo; it’s a lullaby from a golden radio.” Nada Surf’s demeanor showed appreciation for their fans and conveyed their contemporary politically poignant consciousness by holding up a t-shirt that displayed their disdain for President Bush. By seeing how down humble and genuine the band seemed, I left the venue shaking my head. I couldn’t help but feel guilty and responsible for contributing to the negative publicity the band had to overcome early in their career. We should not solely blame the record company executives for an artist’s crucifixion; we are also responsible. We support the music and pay attention when a band gains commercial success. It is our job to take in an artist and their work more conservatively. Like a thanksgiving dinner, we swallow an artist’s music and publicity in huge portions. We consume in excess, causing the overexposure that eventually makes us sick to our stomachs. Once our fanaticism reaches the point of saturation, we abandon all feelings of admiration and turn our thoughts to disdain. Our reluctance to live moderately results in an overly critical mentality placed on entertainment personalities. After hearing Nada Surf’s “Popular” get beaten into the ground, I too bought into the negative publicity discounting their value. But once I heard their latest offering, “Let Go” and saw them perform, my impression of the band changed. Peering into the audience the night of the show, I couldn’t help but notice everyone enjoying themselves. It was pleasing to me to know that this band is persevering after several humbling years. Hopefully, we will someday learn to restrain our indulgences. I am glad this band has escaped our wrath for the time being. --- Read our previous Long Winters review: April 15, 2002 @ Bottom of the Hill ©2004 playinginfog.com |