Starflyer 59 - Live recap, 06/06/03
Starflyer 59 with Ester Drang, The Lyndsay Diaries, and Beehive & the Barracudas
June 6, 2003 at Emo's, Austin TX
by Nick Greenwood
I missed one of my favorite bands, Starflyer 59, during the SXSW Festival in Austin, not once, but five times previously. Thus I was determined this time around to see them live upon hearing that they would be on tour in promotion of their latest full-length, Old. What was most exciting to me was how four men could pull off live all the instrumentation so present in their new album.
The Lyndsay Diaries played first in a short, but inspired, set of acoustic harmonies and cute-boy vocals, in the vein of Dashboard Confessional. I had never heard them (or him, really) before, so it was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, most of the small and rather noisy crowd of people were walking in during this time,and it was distracting for me and guitarist Scott Windsor. Scott's unnamed partner added slick slide guitar lines to some of the songs for greater dimension. I was impressed that so much could be done between two young men, two guitars, two amps, and a slide.
"Dimension" says it all as Ester Drang took to the stage. An air of absolute curiosity surrounded all in the room as they set up two keyboards, a loop machine, and an infinite number of guitar pedals. Then they hooked everyone in as they proceeded with their unique blend of moody pop mixed with Coldplay-esque vocals. I've never seen a band that relied so heavily on added loops and samples, but the atmosphere was just right and they pulled it off well. They weren't just another band that played keyboard melodies--Ester Drang's set was an entire orchestra of sound. Delayed slide Telecaster was also a key element in the overall sound. This was the smallest audience I had ever seen at a show, but Ester Drang reaped the benefits of every ear listening intently to them. They swept through such a range of emotion that I felt like I wanted to cry. I almost did cry as I realized that I didn't have enough money to buy their latest album, Infinite Keys.
Next, Beehive and The Barracudas lightened up the mood completely with some "avant-Blight" blues-rock. They employed a grooving rhythm section and random chantings of "Gimme a break" (in regard to religion) or "Oh instrument, I think I love you."At this point I had made up my mind that that this band couldn't match Ester Drang's stellar performance; the combination of cheap guitar strumming and second-hand smoke caused me to spend time outside during the rest of their set. My friends informed me, upon walking back inside the dark room, that I hadn't missed much.
At last, Starflyer 59 took to the stage. The sound guy working in the back told Jason Martin that his vocals were too low, and suggested that he and the rest of the band turn down their instruments a little. I knew what was going to happen next. He reached for the volume knob on his amplifier and barely touched it, preferring instead for his vocals to be almost completely inaudible. Then the boys ripped through several songs off of their new album, Old. Songs from previous efforts included "I Drive A Lot" from The Fashion Focus, "E.P. Nights" from the Fell In Love At 22 EP, and of course, "No New Kind Of Story" from Everybody Makes Mistakes. I was expecting a set with a more poppy feel, but to my surprise, they were the most rocking band of the night. Frank Lenz smacked his drumset with a monster-like stare, Jeff Cloud towered over his bass and the crowd, and Richard "Dickie" Swift wailed his keyboard at crucial moments. Instant melodies from Old could be recognized--I had only heard the album days before. Jason's guitar was raw and squealing, reminiscent of early SF59 albums Silver and Gold. Performing all of the extra sounds that can be heard on the new album would have been impossible between the four of them, but there was still more than enough sound to cover what was left out.
If such a thing as magic existed, it was present all over the room during their set. No one moved closer than four feet to the stage, except for the passerby wanting to take a look at Jason's pedal arrangement. You had to see the band as a whole, which was more than the sum of its parts. Out of respect, it was best not to bother them while they cranked out memorable tunes. Though certainly not as speedy as punk, the band generated as much energy, and a head-bobbing good time was had by all. Starflyer 59 are true musicians, and I will endeavor to see them again and again for as long as humanly possible.
I drove home with fake political propaganda (courtesy of the 'Cudas), a radiant smile on my face, and a new appreciation for slide guitar.
Photo by Bonnie Plott, 2003
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Comments
starflyer 59 is by far the best band .
i recomemnd there boxed set and everybody makes mistakes . saw them with pedro the lion.
I would have to agree that Starflyer 59 is an incredible band. They have been one of my favorites ever since I first purchased "Gold". It's definately a show you need to see. Ester Drang is an incredible band. Their new CD ("Infinite Keys"...if you don't have it, please go buy it) is amazing, but their live show blows it out of the water! If you ever get the chance to see them (even if you have to drive a couple hours), go do it, because it really is worth it.
Also, you should listen to Anathallo, because they're one of the best bands in the history of the world.
Yay Nick!!! That was great! Rock on, bro!
I saw Ester Drang at Purple Door on Saturday... that show bored me to tears. One of the worst shows I have ever seen... they had zero stage presence, and the music was just a drone of noise. pitiful.
peace.
this is an excellent starflyer review- they are by FAR the most amazing band ever. their new cd is beautiful- i saw them at cornerstone 03, but Mr.Swift wasn't with them, so i look forward to seeing him play with them. oh, and if you haven't heard richard swift's solo album, the Novelist, you owe it to yourself to check it out, it's really a cool album.
nick
