Wednesday night I saw Bishop Allen (myspace) at the Independent. The last time I saw them, they were opening for the Starlight Mints at a pretty crappy venue. Additionally, since that time, they finished up their monthly EP project and released their section album. In a way, they’ve really come into their own. It was cool to see them bring it to the headlining spot at a decent venue.

I got there just before Minipop. Let’s put it this way: I write about things I like and I’m not going to write about minipop.

Bishop Allen came on. Justin Rice, the front man guitarist, and co-writer of all the songs with guitarist Christian Rudder, had a big grin on his face and it stayed that way for a big chunk of the show. They played what seemed like a short set, though now that I look at the set list, it seems like it wasn’t. Perhaps it was just enjoyable so the time flew by. With fifty-some songs under their belt after the EP project and two albums, they are able to put together a good collection of songs for a set.

The banter was fun and the band was not sloppy but also not constrained by over-practice. Their drummer’s seriously good (rolling with one hand while playing glockenspiel with the other, for instance). All in all it was a pretty fun show.

Set list:

• The Same Fire
• Rain
• Busted Heart
• Click, Click, Click, Click
• Like Castanets
• Clementines
• Things are What You Make of Them
• Middle Management
• These Arms of Mine (Otis Redding Cover)
• Choose Again
• The Monitor
• Butterfly Nets
• Flight 180

Encore:

• Charm School
• Corazon
• Who’ll Stop the Rain (CCR cover)

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 at 3:51 pm Posted by adrian in SF bay area, lists, photos. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.