with guests Auk and Sound Discard
The Flashing Astonishers doing their thing
I can't say I knew what I was expecting when I decided to go to this show. I picked it pretty much based on the name of the headliners alone; I mean c'mon, how great a name is "The Flashing Astonishers"? I'd only been to Funk'n'Waffles once before, to see the Aquaducks perform, but I had confidence it would be a fun night, but even with no idea what to expect, I was still surprised.
Bottom line up front; The music was solid, from top of the show with Sound Discard, through AUK and lasting until The Flashing Astonishers started packing up their gear. For me, it was a flashback transporting me back to my junior year of undergrad when my roommate was going through a big phase listening to Explosions In The Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor seasoned with a twist of Sparta. The soaring and swirling rhythms would not have been out of place in movies, a wall of sound that rarely let up until the house lights came on. And I mean that pretty literally.
There were set breaks, as the departing band cleared their gear from the stage and the upcoming act got ready, but that was pretty much it. These guys were not long on words. Titles were not announced, and anecdotes dramatic, embarrassing or otherwise were not shared. The songs flowed one to the next until it was time to go home.
Based on the size of the crowd and their reactions, this was exactly the experience for which they had come. While far from the packed sardine can experience of some shows I've attended, in my opinion the crowd was respectable for a Thursday night. The seats were pretty well filled, and there was a couple handfuls of people standing. Heads nodded, bodies swayed, and few words were spoken, and that describes both the performers and the crowd. When songs ended applause ensued. It was almost trancelike.
Auk giving their all.
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