Explosions in the Sky, Neumos 5/6

We arrived at the venue just before the opener, Aluvium, came on stage. Aluvium consisted of one dude sitting in the corner of the stage messing with a guitar, keyboard and some pedals (there was also an apple laptop involved). The whole production was pretty unassuming-- there was a projection of swarming birds, and you could hardly see the performer. Visual aesthetics aside, the swirling reverb and feedback that blanketed the room during his long compositions, took most of the crowd's eardrums at the brink, with many (maybe 25% or so) covering their ears for most of the set. Although I respect his artistic styling, and courage, the feedback was a little much to say the least.

Although the opener was a little unsettling, the Texas quartet finally came out to the stage, and very humbly announced themselves, along with a short anecdote on why it had been so long since they had toured in Seattle (their van blew a tire). With that they dove right in and started playing. As most Explosions in the Sky songs begin, they started out slowly, building up subtle chords into a deafening and powerful crescendo. As if moving as a single entity, they mashed on their guitar and bass strings with pure emotion.

Emotional is really the only word that can describe their performance, and they used it as their only source of energy. Explosions in the Sky use are able to use silence as their secret weapon-- an instrument that they play perfectly as they build their emotive crescendos which finally explode sonically in all directions, and collapse only to be built up once again.

As I walked out of the venue on Sunday night I can honestly say that the Explosions in the Sky concert was easily in my top two along with Sufjan Stevens earlier this year, it was that good.

Although this can't compare to the live show, I'll give you a taste of what it was like:
Explosions in the Sky - 'The Birth and Death of the Day'

In other news, due to an illness affecting someone close to the band, they will be cancelling the rest of their tour through Europe, read about that here (where you can also buy their albums).