Despite their shared background, the three bands on Brand New's 2009 fall tour each brought with them a distinctive following. Such a diverse tour was not to be missed, so shortly after it was announced, I bought my first ticket to Boston’s new House of Blues. When November 17 finally arrived, I bundled up and, along with a handful of other overzealous concertgoers, went to the venue several hours before doors. Waiting in line was a nostalgic experience---after all, it had been over two years since I’d last stood on that sidewalk in anticipation, eagerly awaiting an Avalon show. Once doors opened, however, something became very apparent: This was certainly not the venue I knew and loved.
Considerably larger than Avalon, House of Blues lacks the charm of the intimate venues we all knew and loved. However, it’s not without its strengths. The interior of the venue is warm and inviting. There are multiple bars, making your six dollar cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon easy to access. The stage is noticeably larger than it was at Avalon, and as a result it is visible from nearly every spot in the room. There are two balcony levels, the lower of which was, at this particular show, open to the public, the higher being a VIP area. Those who got to the balcony early enjoyed a fantastic view of the show. Because of the open balcony, the crowd was spread about, and the venue seemed significantly less crowded, and thus much more comfortable than Avalon ever felt. Whether the balcony is open to all attendants, however, seems to vary from show to show.
While better than expected, the most important questions about the venue wouldn’t be answered until the first band went on: How good is the sound system? How is the light show? Does the larger stage add anything to the performance? (Note that many larger tours bring their own light and sound systems, but typically seeing one show in a venue at least gives you a feel for what to expect at future shows there.)
Crime In Stereo
About an hour after doors, Crime In Stereo took the stage. By the end of the first song, any questions about the venue were answered. The sound is more than adequate, and certainly an improvement over Avalon, a club where listeners were more often than not pounded with low-end to the point that highs sounded muddy if not absent.
Since they were the opening act, the band’s gear was set up in front of the headliner’s, meaning they had a significantly reduced stage depth to work with. Regardless, band members had room to move about the stage a bit, something which openers at the old venue rarely got a chance to do.
The lights were what was to be expected; by no means the spectacular laser show you’d imagine from Pink Floyd nor a simple wash of one color like you’d expect at a show in your friend’s basement. As the venue became more acceptable and more comfortable, it was time to enjoy the show.
Crime In Stereo came off as a band who is still figuring out where to go. That’s not to say it wasn’t a good performance; the songs were executed well enough and frontman Kristian Hallbert’s singing was typically on key---which became particularly impressive when he explained that he was sick. The short set was comprised mostly of songs from the 2007 album, Crime In Stereo Is Dead, and was an informative showcase of the band’s ability to jump back and forth between guitar-driven, high energy punk rock and subdued, melodic pieces rich with crooning vocals. If nothing else, the band certainly had heart, and clearly put a lot of effort into their performance. Much of the crowd didn’t seem to notice, and when the band left the stage many of them chose to take it as a cue to go to the bar for one last drink before Glassjaw rather than to applaud.
Glassjaw
Glassjaw took to the stage about thirty minutes after Crime In Stereo finished their set. As a testament to just how much has changed since this band was in the spotlight, many audience members were surprised to see that there was only one guitarist present. Once a five-piece, Glassjaw has had only four members since they became active again in 2005, after nearly two years of hiatus. Since reforming the group, songwriter Justin Beck, one of the band's two remaining founders, has taken on all of the guitar work himself. The other remaining founder, vocalist/lyricist Daryl Palumbo, highlighted another change: Once an outspoken advocate for the straight-edge movement, the singer walked onto the stage with a beer in his hand. After getting comfortable and bantering amongst themselves for several minutes, they were ready to play.
The first thing that stood out was the composure of the band members: They stood much closer to each other than needed considering the available room on the stage, and their bassist kept his back to the crowd, keeping his eyes trained on their drummer for the majority of the set. The lighting and set were minimal; besides amps and instruments, the only thing Glassjaw seemed to have onstage was a massive flag for a backdrop, a flag which has in recent years become their logo. This seemed very much like a public band practice, and perhaps that’s what it was---Glassjaw has yet to announce their future touring plans, but it very much seems as if they’re preparing for a full on comeback.
Observations about the band’s posture vanished as they exploded into their first song, “(You Think You’re) John Fucking Lennon,” a track they’ve been playing live since 2006 but have yet to officially release. Characteristic of much of Glassjaw’s work, the song went back and forth between soft and heavy, prompting Palumbo to shriek like a banshee one second and switch to his particularly distinctive melodic singing the next. Much of the set had this spastic, bipolar quality; although things slowed down a bit when the band played “Ape Dos Mil,” a single from their 2002 album and arguably their most pop-sensible track to date. This was the only song in the set which the entirety of the crowd seemed to recognize, but having even one song embraced by a sold out venue is quite the feat for a group that hasn’t released anything in over half a decade.
After a forty-five minute set comprised of two new tunes and songs from debut album Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence and sophomore effort Worship and Tribute, Glassjaw ended on “Babe,” a two minute fury heavy with pounding drums and bass, squealing, distorted guitar solos and nearly incomprehensible screaming. They left the stage without saying a word, but their message had certainly gotten across to fans: Glassjaw may have a new lineup, but they are most definitely still Glassjaw. While they may not have been jumping around the stage like madmen as they once did in their youth, they were tighter than ever, and had clearly advanced as musicians over their on-again, off-again hiatus.
Brand New
Nearly an hour later, the headliner finally hit the stage. Taking a hint from Glassjaw, Brand New sent a clear message to their fans. Opening with an intense, distorted, layered instrumental from their 2006 album, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me, a rather impressive light show graced the stage to reveal the band in its current incarnation. Once a four-piece, band members had nearly doubled for this performance. Two drummers, four guitarists and a bass player shook the venue with “Welcome to Bangkok.” From this instrumental build-up, they burst into the energetic, bass-driven “Sink,” a song which showcased the band’s new direction rather fittingly.
Between the cryptic, introspective and often bitter lyrics ("And all the candles on the cake all set fire to the gate. Turn the cannons towards the boat; men were drowning in the moat. It was the end to all the rowers' oars,") walls of guitar feedback and utterly devastating bass lines, it was hard to believe this was the same band who once wrote straightforward, pop-sensible acoustic songs with lines like “I’m gonna stay eighteen forever, so it can stay like this forever, and we’ll never miss a party, ‘cause we keep them going constantly.” Needless to say, within two songs, Brand New managed to alienate the few fans in the crowd who had come to the show to relive their carefree, pop-punk youth. The band did play a few songs from their first two albums, but the vast majority of the ninety minute set was filled with material from their two latest.
Everything about the set seemed to accentuate Brand New’s maturity as artists. A few songs in, a projector began displaying images across a backdrop nearly the width and height of the stage. Mostly black and white, this footage often had no identifiable relevance to the song being played, but along with the unusually intense light show, it certainly helped turn the performance into a particularly chaotic, engrossing experience. The band was clearly well rehearsed, singer Jesse Lacey was engaging and dynamic, delivering each line with not only passion, but a distinct desperation.
After closing the set with their latest single, "At the Bottom," the band exited the stage rather abruptly. The venue's house lights didn't go up; a tell-tale sign that an encore was planned. As expected, vocalist Jesse Lacey and guitarist Vinnie Accardi returned to the stage after a few moments. Beneath dull, lifeless yellow lighting, the two performed “Play Crack The Sky,” a solemn acoustic ballad from 2003’s Deja Entendu. This encore was a stark contrast to the utter intensity of their set, and a fitting epilogue. After all, the track’s lyrics are the chilling narrative of a sailor's final moments after his ship is ravaged by a storm.
