Austin Guitar Army: Explosions in the Sky @ Great American
On Friday I saw the Austin Guitar Army[1], Explosions in the Sky (myspace) at the Great American.
Thinking about the show, I’m realizing I don’t have a ton to say about it. It was a really great show and I was really happy I went. Explosions played their songs really well and with a lot of energy. There weren’t a lot of breaks between songs–one song would wind down to a ringing sustain and the next one would start up immediately. The whole thing felt like one hour and a half long song. People who sometimes squeeze in a quick round of applause during that sustain; other times there wasn’t applause. There was more applause in general at the beginning of songs that were the more popular or recognizable Explosions songs, e.g. “Your Hand in Mine”.
Here’s one thing I can definitely say, though: when they turn on the house lights at the Great American, the show is over, the band is not coming back. The lights come on and people make their way to the back. That’s how it works. Well, this is first show that I’ve been to there that the audience refused to accept this and kept clapping and yelling anyway. Eventually guitarist Munaf had to come back on stage and said they had nothing else to play.
I take it some people like 21+ shows because they don’t have to deal with teens. I hate 21+ shows when I was younger, but these days I just tend not to notice, unless, of course, there’s a significant contingent of under age kids at a show, like there was Friday. (Thinking about it often makes sense that Explosions were a big draw with teens–accessible but dark and somewhat disaffected music seems like it fits with the high school experience for many people.) They’re often so eager and happy to be there that’s it’s refreshing. San Francisco isn’t a particularly jaded music town, but the older concert goers, myself included, often have a distance from the band, the music and the experience. In addition, I love when younger people are into good music. It gives me hope about the industry.
One interesting thing in the evening is that at this point I’ve seen most of my post-rock favorites (Rachel’s, Godspeed!, A Silver Mt Zion, Mogwai), but so many times before I enjoyed the show and the bands played well (or even amazingly, as A Silver Mt. Zion) but I wasn’t really in the mood for post-rock on each particular evening. Post-rock is definitely more of a mood-dependent music for me than many other genres. I was definitely a lot more welcoming mood-wise of Explosions in the Sky than of previous post-rock bands. I don’t know if Friday’s show just happened to fall when I was in the mood for it or if the Explosions’ welcoming sound got me in the mood.
[1] yup, a reference.
[Update:] The show has appeared on archive.org if you want to give it a listen.
When I saw them about a year ago (also at an all-ages venue), the same thing happened with the applause and call for an encore. They came out and said they had nothing more to play, and then threw candy into the crowd. Still one of the best shows I’ve been to ever.
I was there as well. Being it was my first-ever Explosions show, I was thoroughly impressed!! They played extremely-well and were very tight live. I agree with the point that post-rock is very mood-oriented and sometimes it can affect your experience at a show. However, like most everyone that was there, the mood was just right for that show. Also, I’m surprised that the opening act, Lichen, wasn’t mentioned. Being a one-man band along the lines of Owen Pallett and others, he was beyond amazing! You definitely deserve kudos if you’re able to utilize bird-calls in a song, especially if you’re making them yourself!
[...] in the Sky @ Great American, SF, CA, 3/21 (original post) One of the few times I’ve seen a post-rock band that I was really in the mood to see a [...]