By Daniel N. Alvarez
It’s ironic that an old jazz club is one of the best places to hear rock in San Francisco. The first time that I saw a show at Bimbo’s 365 Club, I wasn’t sure I was in the right place. The venue’s plush furnishings, swanky tables, and clean, classy vibe didn’t seem to mesh well with the youngish, generally scruffy jackanapes who seemed belong at the slightly dingier confines of Thee Parkside or Annie’s Social Club.
Then Jens Lekman took the stage, and it all made sense. Bimbo’s is a great rock club, because the sound is absolutely excellent. For that reason, I was over the moon to learn that indie rock’s most fun, musically progressive band, Minus the Bear, would be gracing the stage. When a band has as many intersecting, versatile melodies as they do, sound quality is paramount.
Lucky for us, the venue's immaculate sound system got the best out of the Seattle outfit. After remotely inspiring performances from Seattle sludge monsters Helms Alee and North Carolina emo-pop upstarts Annuals, the quintet took the stage with a captivating, swirling rendition of “Lotus” from their 2007 album, Planet of Ice (Suicide Squeeze).
Guitarists Dave Knudson's and Jake Snider’s angular, jangling riffs perfectly complemented each other, with drummer Erin Tate and bassist Cory Murchy forming a taut rhythm section and providing a syncopated, herky-jerky backbone that allowed synth-man Alex Rose to comfortably add depth and atmosphere to the songs.
The lion’s share of the set list came from Planet of Ice, but the group treated the crowd to some old favorites. “The Game Needed Me,” off Menos El Oso (Suicide Squeeze, 2005), elicited awkward air-guitaring and swaying not seen since the recent TV on the Radio show. The last tune before the encore was the breathtaking “Drilling," also from Menos. During the song confetti-filled beach balls were unleashed - an odd sight for a jazz club.
About three-quarters of the way through the set, Snider and Knudson took off their axes and picked up acoustic guitars. The three songs they played, “We Are Not a Football Team,” “Pachuca Sunrise,” and “Guns and Ammo,” a new track, worked brilliantly and can be found on their new unplugged album, the aptly titled Acoustics (Tigre Blanco).
Special mention must be made for lead guitarist Dave Knudson’s unbelievable musicianship. His two-hand tapping, a technique usually saved for butt-rockers like Yngwie Malmsteen, added quirky melody and dynamics to their already-original sound. Snider’s voice was also in fine form, as it coolly glided over the controlled chaos provided by his bandmates.
Minus the Bear continues to be one of the few indie rock bands that puts any emphasis on the rock - it's truly a group at the top of its game. If you are tired of seeing performers with no energy, make sure you make time for these Northwestern fellas, because they just might restore your faith in live music.
digg •
del.icio.us •
sphere •
google
•
Comments (1)
Nice review, I couldn't agree with you more.
Posted by Chris | November 25, 2008 09:51 AM