culture@dailylobo.com
Band of Horses gives me mixed feelings. Seeing it in concert last week affirmed that, unfortunately. Don’t get me wrong — its unique brand of folk-indie-rock has warmed my being on multiple occasions. But the band on stage did not resemble the genuine and raw impression I once had of it.
The technical aspects of the show were spot-on. In spite of the less-than-optimal acoustics at the Sunshine Theater, the sound was good and clear. In the middle of the song “Infinite Arms,” from its third and most acclaimed album of the same title, the band used a subwoofer that lit the room with reverberation. I felt the vibrations running through my diaphragm and out my throat, and I liked it a lot.
The set and lighting were impeccable, depicting a wooded scene of naked aspens below a colorful and ever-shifting sky. The show, not surprisingly, sold out for this internationally acclaimed band. The musicians played with such precision that it might as well have been playback.
Four of the band’s members dressed in cowboy boots and western shirts while the drummer, Creighton Barrett, sported an authentic dirty tank top. The music has a certain southern twang; the getup and woodland scenery gave it the air of an outdoor festival in the Carolina backwoods. Ben Bridwell, lead vocals and face of the band, sported a fitted black cap and a slightly scruffy beard that made him look like a real good ol’ boy.
But I wasn’t convinced. The band didn’t bring the Southern comfort; it brought a cold professionalism that did not translate to the audience’s excited anticipation. The only band member who performed with energy was Barrett, who killed on drums with at least an animated accuracy.
After the show I spoke with Blake Hutson, a music major who had traveled up from Las Cruces to see Band of Horses. He has been drawing inspiration from them as an avid listener since the band’s first album, “Everything All The Time,” came out in 2006. He loves Bridwell’s unusual voice, and the band’s unique indie-folk sound. We agreed that it was a well-composed show and that the band played cohesively as a group.
However, the band played mostly music from their last album, “Mirage Rock,” which has a distinctly forgettable mainstream feel. We both agreed that we would have rather seen it three years ago in a less polished, more personal and passionate scenario that left the mirage rock out of the picture.
