A Break From Student Loans with Wishbeard, Austra and Vice Device

I was going to write about the way student loans affect labor mobility, but instead I have saved in for next week in favor of writing about the show I went to last night.

Neumos: Friday September 15, 2012

WISHBEARD

Photo thanks to Wishbeard (they don't know)

The first thing I noticed about this show was the fact that everyone in the room was a gay person. Starting with the women on stage.

Wishbeard. Wish - Beard. ha. 

I came to find out they were reminiscent of Explosion in the Sky, a band I had never heard before but my companion kept referring to.  Myself, I prefer Wishbeard. I like their melodies and I like their vocals as it reminds me of everything I think Seattle girl rock should be. 

Additionally, the music on their site isn't accompanied by a barrage of really depressing Youtube comments quite like Explosions in the Sky. 

VICE DEVICE

Photo Courtesy of Vice Device & Aaron Montaigne

While I wish I could say I got to experience the entire Vice Device set, I did not.  I had to put my bag in the car. But from what I saw, their ambient songs and midsong crescendos impressed me enough to put them on at work and, maybe, see the Portland trio again. 

I'm not going to be able to do them justice, so just check them out. 

and, finally....

AUSTRA

Courtesy of Kirk Stauffer & Back Beat Seattle 

This band does everything right. Everything. 

Initially what one of my best friends sold to me as a trip to the Crocodile to see a femmy-gothy opera troop didn't seem like it would turn into an obsession, but it has.  So when they came back to Neumos, I immediately bought tickets. 

When they come back to Seattle, I will immediately buy tickets. 

The hook is a simple beat, reminiscent of a pulse, that flows through the melody; this band doesn't overcomplicate anything besides what they intend to highlight. I almost feel like it's simplicity is what makes it so beautiful. 

(I am not a singer) According to my limited knowledge, the lead singer, Kate Stelmanis, is hugely talented. Backed by Sari and Romy Lightman, twin opera singers, and Maya Postepski on drums, it is a pretty feminine affair. Although there are Brian Wosniak and Dorian Wolf add a masculine touch.

Kind of. The variety is really nice. 

Austra puts on a great show. Something else I was surprised by because upon first listening to them, I had a very nebulous idea of how to move to the music. But upon watching them take the stage and seeing the band, boys included, pair life and motion with the music, at times moving in unison, it made perfect sense. That is obviously how you would do it. 

They're just really outstanding. I wish the show had never ended.