May the Dodos never, ever play metal.
Despite the metal influences in their live set (particularly Logan Kroeber’s mashing of the drums), The Dodos’ show at SFBH last friday gave the impression that if these guys were to submit to their metal influences wholly, their music would be nowhere near as interesting. But in the context of their freaked out psych-folk jams, it made for the highlight of an incredible week for Wellington shows.
Guitarist/vocalist Meric Long opened the set with a cute trombone solo, and then as if to exert his authority over brass instruments, Kreiber immediately tore into the opening beats of single Fools on his tom-heavy drum kit. The Dodos’ jams have always been fast, as the verse/chorus/verse/chorus/ (WHOA its only 1.15 into the song ) pace of Fools showed, but actually seeing them play at that pace was something else. It was an intensity that pushed the decibels, but also meant that their Animal Collective-esque moments of shrieking fervor were lost amidst the noise they were creating.
However, all that is amazing about the Dodos, from Kroeber’s metaltastic drumming to Meric Long’s empassioned, folky-punk strumming and plucking, could be found in the ten minute jam that was Joe’s Waltz. midway through their set. Starting with the shrieking climax at the end of the track, they wove in an interlude from their album Visiter, before shifting into Joe’s Waltz in its entirety. Joe Haener, joining the band for parts of the set on marimba and toy piano, ran perfectly in time with Kroebers drumming, making a wealth of WOW moments when they hit overdrive in the songs manic second half.
It highlighted the collective strength of the Dodos live unit- Long plays his guitar like he’s trying to tame it, hammering down strums angrily; matched by Kroeber pounding out enough volume for a Foot Village show. On top of this, Haener’s live flourishes added a somewhat necessary third level of sound, without which the show could easily have taken a vanilla turn. The toy piano of encore track Red and Purple, and the chiming percussion in Joe’s Waltz underlined his presence onstage, making sure the show was aurally full as well as visually amazing.
If The Dodos’ want to keep filling out their freak-folk jams with the same empassioned vocals and muscly rhythm that they showed at their show, its fine by me- their clattering energy made for one of the best shows in recent memory. AND their album is amazing too. COME BACK SOON PLEASE.
James Beavis
