They only like you when you're 17

All the pretty seventeen year olds (okay - not all of them are 17, but let's say they are) put on such a pretty pretty show.

Marisa and my anti-social self headed out to the Boy Gorilla night at the Modern Age curated by Arya this past Friday for some fun fun fun laced with Orangina. When we got down to PSU a bit past ten, we didn't know how much of the night had passed and because of the student population on campus, it was hard to tell if passerbys were merely passerbys or gig-goers leaving because the night was already over given the night started at 8. We made it down the conjoined staircases and around the corner past the bowling alley to meet a room that had a startling amount of people in it - much much more than The Modern Age's opening night only last month. Much of those amassed could either be attributed to the stellar LocalCut write-up in Willamette Week or to the more than stellar lineup that featured both Typhoon and Eskimo & Sons - both acts I've been desperate to catch in the past few months.

Over a hundred were crowded in front of the stage watching Typhoon who were already on. I parted through the sea of people for a better photo-taking position to see them on stage, their myriad of members all barefoot, and making music similar in fashion to the way Arcade Fire makes their music live - so alive it seemed like the visual of an epiphany. A mass of people with a mass of instruments, playing because not playing isn't an option - whether or not they are on a concert bill, or on the street, or in a room in an under populated house, they'd be playing - they make it seem as their music is the only way.

Between songs, there was some banter between the singer and someone's girlfriend. The girl started hitting the guy next to me for yelling things about her to the band loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear him and in the process of hitting him she continually hit me. Needless to say, it was really annoying. I left. It was the only time in the night where I was amongst the oldest of attendees that I was really glad not to be a minor.
Still, that band calls you - with their tribal drumming, French horns, accordions, and strings - and I made my way back up a song later - just on the opposite side of the stage this time around.
On their last song there was a sing-a-long for the chorus and it was oh so enjoyable.
Typhoon can't be lumped in with any one genre. They're rather transcendent. But they remind me a whole lot of Beirut. In fact, I think they'd be perfect touring partners - better than the upcoming LCD Arcade Fire double bill, and maybe even cozier than Klaxons and CSS.
There's a reason for everything. Maybe this is the reason Zach Condon lost my postcards and gave me his home address to resend them to. He can now expect some Typhoon records on his doorstep.

Onto Eskimo & Sons. They alternated between duets and solo songs -all charmingly indie and honest. With witty witty witty lyrics and outfitted in shorts and white tennis shoes.

I believe the song was titled 'Snore' that was shudderingly beautiful - with lyrics about the sea and moon. It is the best indie lullabye I've heard since the melancholy of Patrick Wolf, TV on the Radio's 'Tonight' or even Feist's radio-friendly 'My Moon My Man'. Lead singer Danielle Sullivan took to the drum kit for one haunting beat at the songs finale while the rest of the band members gathered together in melodic and sonic sounding feedback.

Then Dhani Rosa played two songs unaccompanied - the first of the two tunes started out about waking up in someone's house after they gone to work with their sister by your side for company that made me recall a little bit of Whirlwind Heat's Steve Damstra's first solo album.
They closed out their CD release show with 'No Shit' at which point I rushed back up to the front to sing along.
Great fun had by all would be entirely accurate.

When you're 21, you're no fun. But Ladytron - it doesn't have to be that way! The Boy Gorilla crew have shown me the way! In the case of Typhoon - many of whom are still teenagers - not only did they create the music -- with that many people in the band, but they have it so together to perform it live, and issue it on vinyl, compact disc, and cassette. And not only that, but the packaging! And some freakin' genius screen-printing on T-shirts!! Just looking at their merch table is inspiring - so inspiring. If they can painstakingly create so much beauty in all those avenues (yet make it appear insanely effortless), why can't I? Why can't anyone? Ahh, the beauty of youth. As Franz said, "You can have it so much better." With Boy Gorilla, you realize you can be doing so much more.

You can hear their music on the radio, or coming from a passing car, or in the score of an indie film. It's just a matter of time before the scenario plays out outside of everyone's head whose listening to them right now and in the bigger picture of reality. You can feel it's just around the corner - the label's hub being fully discovered, and once they are, there's no telling...
Take a polaroid of it - that way you can have a snap shot of the instant when this was all taking off.

'Bryce's Song' Typhoon MP3

Please go to their myspazz and stream 'Damsel'.

Some spectacular footage I shot of Typhoon at the Modern Age. Emphasis on spectacular haha - ahh the grain and angles:

Comments

[casey]

Some of my Portland favorites. You know that a dude in Beirut, Paul Collins, is from Pendleton? I met him at rock camp last week (where I was when I missed this show :( ). Nice dude! Glad you got to see these bands, though. I don't push bands real hard in WW unless I'm pretty much obsessed with them, and I'm pretty much obsessed with Typhoon and Eskimo & Sons. Hey will you drop me an email soon? I wanna pick yer brain (god i hate that obsession) on a couple of things.

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