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Friendly Folk-Pop for the Kids: Hey Marseilles at Vera This Saturday
As Tuesday afternoon rolls around, we're trying to recall what we did last weekend and remember—hey yeah!—we hit two concerts: a five-band line-up at the Showbox on Friday, and Nine Inch Nails on Saturday. How could we have forgotten? Oh that's right, it was a boring-as-hell time.
Friday night we headed down to the Showbox at the Market to catch Tea For Julie with Slowly We Survive and Shyforshy, all opening for Gin Betty! and Don't Tell Sophie. First, re-read that last sentence and then tell us we're not out of good band names. And second, it wasn't all bad. Shyforshy, the first act, was tight and catchy, in their uninspired, Panic! At the Disco-y way. Slowly We Survive was the most musically interesting of the bunch, with vaguely math-rocky music that didn't fit at all with the lead singer's yearning, pop-star vox. And sadly, it was with Slowly We Survive that we began an evening marked by technical problems, when that band had to re-start their first song after the bass drum pedal broke.
By the time Tea for Julie went on, the Showbox was quite nearly empty. Apparently there'd been some sort of problem with the bands not promoting the show, except for Shyforshy, who packed the all-ages floor with an impressive fan-base that kicked the energy up a notch; unfortunately, they all left by the time Tea For Julie came on. Which was sad, because Tea for Julie has plenty of potential.
They have a tight, catchy, Brit-pop-y sound and experiment widely, from single-ready rock ditties to electronic pop songs. Unfortunately, their set was plagued by a variety of seemingly unidentifiable technical issues that stemmed in no small part from the fact that they had a half-dozen members. Portland, Oregon, apparently, has more indie rockers than indie rock bands, so they're all too damn big now. (What beast hath thou created, Modest Mouse?) Whatever the case, we enjoyed Tea for Julie's set, but by the end had had enough and joined the exodus. Still, we're going to check out their new album The Sense in Tying Knots.
As for Saturday, we hit Key Arena for Nine Inch Nails, which more of less killed our gf's love affair with Trent Reznor and left us a little grossed out. Yes, the stage show was impressive, but there's really only so many layers of LED-scrims you can bring in before we call enough is enough. And what was up with the Peter Gabriel-style world music instrumentals? Apparently that's the album they released sans major label; stock holders are surely rejoicing.
Otherwise it was more or less NIN's greatest hits, with a bulky and sweaty Reznor pining away about his nihilistic misery before thousands of adoring fans. We all go to arena shows expecting to see rock stars preen self-absorbedly around the stage, but it's never been quite so distasteful. B.S. like "I Can't Drive Fifty-five" translates to the arena; "Terrible Lie" does not, and it was a little sad and pathetic to watch a generation of youngsters, who apparently are more or less contented with the world and their lots in life, bop along and cheer to disaffected anthems like "Head Like a Hole" as if it was "Kumbaya."
Final conclusion: NIN is irrelevant in today's world, and the kids need to play fewer video games and turn on the damn news.
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Ugh, that NIN report punched me in the gut. Trent Reznor will always pay for not bringing NIN to its logical conclusion and blowing his MF head off like Kurt. That being said, I still have a NIN CD in my car changer at all times (blush).
Sigh, I still think the music's relevant though, who else could write a catchy pop song with such a giant helping of dark? It's just not as different or shocking as--gulp--almost twenty years ago. Whoa, I just punched myself in the gut.
Nice review; great writing. I do wonder, however, if you have a difficulty accepting that this artist has gone off the beaten path. You sound more like a disgruntled senior citizen than a credible critic, and your sympathy with major label interests disconcerting. To be fair, it sure seemed like a lot of those kids you're talking about liked all those instrumentals... you know, the likes of which have been a staple with NIN since the second album.
Just a thought. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Your review of NIN is pretty harsh. I was there, and I thought it was an incredible show. Sure, it was very different than their shows of the past, but how can you fault them for branching out? Personally, I appreciated the screens/visuals they had Saturday much more than the rotting dog corpses covered in maggots, and war scenes of previous shows.
Not to mention they sounded fantastic. I have a renewed love for NIN after this show.
But eh, to each his own.
I'll tell you what's Irrelevant - the writer who did this review. I hope when I'm Irrelevant I can sell out Key Arena too.
Dude.
If you had stayed for the ENTIRE 7/25 Showbox show, you would have noticed the nearly packed dance floor of devoted Gin Betty! fans during their closing set. The house may have progressively quieted after the Shyforshy all-agers skipped home to meet curfew, but the room (floor AND bar) was alive by 11:17 when the GB! boys took the stage that Friday night.
One may choose to sympathize with your decision to leave after Tea For Julie's disappointing turnout (considering it WAS their "CD Release") and the night plagued with tech. difficulties, but c'mon.
This article is incomplete.
All peaved Nails fans, rest a little easier. If Homeboy chose to half-ass the first, um, half of this review... then it may be safe to say you can write-off the rest of this write-up as well.