Jaded Times

What can I say about this show? The overused question that begins every show review, whether writers like to admit it or not (or print it, another device becoming increasingly overused). To be honest, I don’t have many words to describe the show overall, but I will attempt to encapsulate the night as best as possible.

First, LKN. I don’t feel too confident raving about LKN, since she is on Greyday, and I’m not good at whoring. I will, instead, merely relate the opinion of an employee of our distributer who attended the show: “my friend turned to me halfway during the LKN set and said ‘dude, we listen to wimpy music’.”

Next up was Bellini. This Italian/American band (two of the members are Sicilian, two are American) continued flawlessly the edgy, melodic, and aggressive female-fronted theme of the first half of the show. Bellini were the perfect bridge between the hardcore edge of LKN and the melodic overpowerment of Mono. A great stage show and a truly creative and talented band, I saw many leaving with Bellini discs and shirts (I can’t blame them, I probably would have too, had I the money).

Then, the main event: Mono. Mono are a hard band to try to describe; a lot of people compare them to Mogwai, as any instrumental “crescendo-core” band will be: beautiful melodies, long well-executed builds to a height of volume and emotion that is hard to acheive, even with vocals. However, comparing Mono to Mogwai is selling them short; the Japanese four-piece puts forth a far more diverse musical platter than Mogwai, at times bulding off simple RPG-style synth rhythms into powerful wall-of-sound guitars, at other times creating a dark and haunting image closer to Neurosis in nature than any indie-based band. Creative, ecclectic, and beautiful, seeing them–and FEELING them, the sound was so loud it could be felt reverberating through your chest–is a distinct experience that I’ve only seen equalled by Crash Worship many years ago (who are a distinctly different band musically, but had the same raw energy). As Matthew Taylor, the bass player from Bellini, commented with a smile: “Mono is like the great eraser. Any band who plays before them gets immediately forgotten.” I wouldn’t say that, but while it was a well-matched line-up, it definitely felt like there were two different shows happening, though I would be hard pressed to say which I preferred.

Mono and Bellini are out on a full US tour currently–you owe it to yourself to go see them. LKN will be rejoining them early next month for three Florida dates.

Mono/Bellini: Temporary Residence
LKN: Greyday

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