Album Reviews
Movies
Concert Reviews

Top 10
Resources
Contact Us

Once in a blue moon I go to a concert by myself just because I have a hunch the music will be good enough to make it all worthwhile. This was one such a show. The concert was held at Hi Tone Cafe in Memphis and was my first time at the venue. Compared to other locations in the area, Hi Tone Cafe is pretty nice. The crowd size was very respectable for a weeknight. I took a seat and waited for the first band to play.

It took a long time for them to start, but around 10:45 Circuits Made Simple kicked off their six-song set. The band is new to the Memphis scene, though the singer/guitarist used to be in the band The Beep (which was headed by Ken Steorts, formerly of Skillet). Basically, the band played no-nonsense rock and roll. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, but I found little to be impressed with. At times the music reminded me of Weezer, but maybe a little darker in its sound. The band's biggest fault is the lack of a solid vocalist. After the first song this weakness was exposed and became more painful as the set wore on.

Next up was Absinthe Blind, a very good five-piece band from Champaigne, Illinois. The band's sound was built out of atmosphere, rock, and sweltering vocals. It's hard to pinpoint influences on the band's sound. Anything from Over the Rhine's _Films for Radio_ to Radiohead's rock side could be seen as an influence. But the sound was unique and powerful. The bulk of the band's set came from its latest full-length release Rings, which features the single "The Break." The band's set closer "She Saves" was the most impressive song, clocking in at about ten minutes long and creating a powerful moment that words really can't accurately describe. It's a crime that more people haven't heard of Absinthe Blind. Their music is worth hearing and their live show was extremely impressive.

The final musical act for the night was Memphis's favorite. Dora. It's always a treat seeing Dora, but something about this show made it extra special. As the headliner, the band played an extra-long set full of favorites from _Dead Horse Lounge_ and new songs that have yet to find their way to a recording. There was an intensity to the music that made all of the songs meaningful. Opening with a strong instrumental, the band plunged into "For No One" and the crowd was drawn in from that point on. The song "Piano 2" slowed things down as a girl climbed onto the stage to accompany the band on violin. She remained for the following song, "Tradition," which proved to be one of the best songs of the show. Later in the set, on the song "Courtney Bought a Politician," vocalist Ben Kanady broke out of his shell and began screaming at a key moment, as the power of the song came crashing through. The final song of the eleven-song set was "Intro Song." The band played an extended intro and it made for arguably its best live performance of the song to date. Near the end of the song, a drunk man staggered to the front of the crowd, removed a sock and a shoe from one foot, and threw them up on stage (with the sock landing on the drum kit). He proceeded to climb onto the stage and begin dancing around. The band members continued to play their hearts out, taking it all in stride. The set ended with the man working on removing his other shoe (unsuccessfully). Without a doubt, this was one of the most powerful performances that Dora has ever had.

The evening was a breath of fresh air for me. I found myself wishing that friends of mine had come to appreciate the music with me, but I was grateful that I hadn't missed it. Shows like this help to remind me why I love music.

Trae Cadenhead