Concert Review: The Walkmen/Japandroids @ The Metro 10-13-2010

I have always enjoyed it when two bands tour together that are not an obvious listening match. The best thing about indie is that it is such a huge tent where all any artists have in common is a singular motive to do something different. The Walkmen, proud proprietors of popularity from a radio single a few years back and a critically praised album this year in Lisbon, are a band who trick you with their deceivingly lazy riffs and low-key delivery. Eventually the heady listener is slowly smothered by the weighty, swooning style and the reaching cries of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser. Japandroids cash their checks by simply hitting you in the face with a sledgehammer while wearing a big goofy grin. From last year's breakthrough album Post-Nothing to their consistently awesome 7 inch series this year, they are a duo that sinks themselves into their wistful lyrics about better days and longer nights as they precisely follow the Holy Trinity of Rock: drums, guitar, volume. When two bands like The Walkmen and Japandroids find enough commonality and mutual admiration to travel together and share the stage, it warms my heart and gives me renewed faith in music.

Japandroids- Younger Us

As Brian King from the Japandroids strides out on stage in his skinny jeans and faded Sisters Of Mercy tee, he does it with no airs or audience acknowledgement. If you did not know who he was, you may mistake him for a roadie. Yet, he straps on his guitar and proceeds to fill the room with waves of his go-to fuzzy power chord for a few minutes. Eyes shut, he is lost in his own little world waiting for his buddy, drummer David Prowse to  give him the nod. Then he suddenly comes out of his self induced trance and says, in the kindest possible way, "Hi!". And off we go. The duo wails, jumps, pounds, head bobs and, above all, smiles through the 45 minute set, connecting with each audience member's inner rock star. The enthusiasm is palpable in the performers, showcasing moves and struts rarely seen outside an Air Guitar competition. Their music is not about hitting that perfect note, but the pure joy of screaming out your lyrics even if you are a little off key. Japandroids hit the loftiest heights on their newest tracks "Art Czars" and "Younger Us" where the old school punk influence runs thick through the riffs and thumps. Post-Nothing track "Heart Sweats" is also impressive as the live clarity rings in the guitar crunch as the double time beats are felt in your chest. Finishing off with "Young Hearts Spark Fire" is cause for their spent chorus to be assisted by the grateful audience. Although the crowd was in attendance for the headliners, Japandroids surely won supporters that night based on their enthusiasm.

The Walkmen - Angela Surf City

The contrast of The Walkmen is apparent as the band strides out on stage in collared shirts and suit coats ready for the evening's work. The cool detachment of the band is in fact quite refreshing for such a boyishly handsome outfit. There was no spotlighted guitar solos, no hackneyed "How is everyone doin' tonight's, no leering frontman "connecting" with the audience. Rather, The Walkmen are all business on stage, focused on their individual assignments so the audience can catch every moving subtlety and slow build in each new song. The evening's set list is deliberate as well, swelling from the extended organ pulse from the opener "Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me is Gone", to the insistent twang in "Blue As Your Blood" to the latest single "Angela Surf City" where Leithauser impresses with his emotional delivery as he cradles the mike stand as if that was the Angela in question. His winning impression continues as the burning intensity of "On The Water" where he hits his notes and actually employs the whistle in the song's coda with a perfectly eerie pitch. What I found particularly surprising was the consistent audience attention throughout the show, particularly in the slow numbers. Where this might be a point to get a fresh beer or catch a quick conversation with your friends, the audience, specifically the female members, continued to stare and sway, fixed on the modest balladeers on stage. The best example is the deceptive lulling prelude on "Victory" that swells with the stunning note that is held by Leithauser, prompting instant gasps and spontaneous cheers from an adoring crowd. The pre-encore finale "In The New Year" and breakthrough single "The Rat" bestowed two crescendos for the evening, with the latter providing the most connected moments between crowd and frontman. Hamilton Leithauser drops his troubadour persona for a moment, looks out at his fans as allows them to take over the chorus: "When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw. Now I go out alone, if I go out at all." The furrowed lyrics made a fitting ending to this tale of two bands. On the surface, are as different as a shot and a beer and a gin martini. However, The Walkmen and Japandroids are outfits who wear their emotions as badges of honor and the deliver their heartfelt messages in contrasting, yet equally powerful, ways.

The Walkmen - In the New Year

Check out The Walkmen set list, additional concert photos by Shani Silver and a fan video of The Walkmen's opener. If you like what you read, consider jumping over to my site Another Dying Artform.

Purchase The Walkmen - Lisbon here.

Purchase Japandroids - Post-Nothing here.

The Walkmen Set list:

1. Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me is Gone
2. Blue As Your Blood 
3. Angela Surf City
4. On the Water
5. Woe is Me
6. All Hands and the Cook
7. Blizzard of '96
8. We've Been Had
9. Victory
10. Thinking of a Dream I Had
11. Canadian Girl
12. While I Shovel the Snow
13. Juveniles
14. In the New Year
Encore:
15. All My Great Designs
16. They're Winning
17. The Rat
18. Another One Goes By

Japandroids

The Walkmen

Editor's note: Words here might be by one of RFC's two Matt's. but the photos are by the lovely Shani who's post on opening act Miniature Tigers can be viewed here. And hey, why don't ya' check out that other Matt's review of The Walkmen's latest here if you still haven't gotten your Leithauser fix after staring at those dreamy pics.

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