In spite of the rain, indie fans converged at the National on Tuesday for an energized performance from luminaries Built to Spill.
In spite of the rain, indie fans converged at the National on Tuesday for an energized performance from luminaries Built to Spill.
With the relatively new, stripped-down lineup of composed frontman Doug Martsch, drummer Steve Gere and bassist Jason Albertini, the Boise group culled a set brimming with old favorites and stand-out performances.
But it was a star studded night from start to finish, featuring openers Alex G and Hop Along, each frequent Richmond headliners in their own right.
Singer-songwriter Alex Giannascoli’s steadfast Bandcamp following led him to a record deal with Domino last year, culminating in the release of 2015’s Beach Music and a showcase at SXSW.
The Philadelphia native (seen below) seemed every inch a bedroom indie singer, stepping out onto the stage in worn jeans and a camo shirt with a baseball cap covering his face as he introduced his band, “the Psychonauts.”
But his set diverged from his usually synth-heavy, lo-fi recordings and instead, back with a live band, the performance swung closer to psych rock. Bright pop riffs drove the pace and solos ranged from jangly to Dinosaur Jr-esque sludge. That his songs can rearrange so freely is a testament to Giannascoli’s lush songwriting; a kaleidoscopic mix of sounds and off-kilter influences.
It’s equally difficult to pin down fellow Philadelphians Hop Along. Though perhaps that comes with the territory for bands like Alex G., Hop Along and Built to Spill, which all orbit the musical innovation and emotional lives of their front-people through their music.
Lead singer Francis Quinlan’s (seen below) intimate lyrics and rasping, yearning vocals in particular drive Hop Along’s sound, layered above folk-rock arrangements.
Her voice alone has gained something of a following, lending itself to comparison with Janis Joplin. Quinlan’s vocals captivate, effortlessly combining soprano sweetness and sandpaper rough that varies within the space of a few lyrics.
Starting with notable early performances of “The Knock” and ending with their much-lauded single “Tibetan Pop Stars” (and sticking a cover of the Weeknd’s “The Hills” in between), Quinlan and the band had a hypnotic quality that earned audience exaltation.
At one point when an audience member bellowed “I love you, Francis!” (shouted at least once between every song) she bashfully smiled, joking, “It’s my aunt. She came down. Hi, Aunt Nancy!”
After Hop Along’s set ended, the back-of-the-venue crowd of the bespectacled, flanneled and bearded variety hugging the bars pushed toward the stage as anticipation grew for headliners Built to Spill.
A roar went up as the band entered the spotlight and opened the show with “All Our Songs.”
Cutting through old and new tracks for a solid half hour, it occurred to me that watching Built to Spill has more in common with a visit to the ballet or symphony. The joy of seeing them is the joy of seeing Doug Martsch conduct as the band nailed every cue.
Martsch’s (seen below) solos didn’t have an indulgent, free-wheeling improvisational feel, but Built to Spill doesn’t have anything to prove. When he goes for it, he wails and shreds with a precision that speaks to his experience, whipping pedal knobs to and fro with his hands to delicately swing each note.
Given the band’s many shows in Richmond over the past five years, the crowd was hardly buttoned up. Wild screams and cheers filled the room after late set classics like “Liar” and “Carry the Zero,” rivaling the band in sheer volume.
By the encore, an uninhibited four song affair featuring “Time Trap,” “Twin Falls,” “Some” and “So,” the crowd reached near religious fervor.
For a newcomer, Built to Spill’s performance is evidence enough of their place in the indie rock pantheon. But they’ve certainly not let that get to their heads. The band took the stage, played their songs, thanked the audience deeply and often, and at the end thanked their tour mates and the crowd one last time.
It’s not often you see a band that is still humble, even while they are humbling to see. And that seems to be a big part of why Richmond fans keep coming back for more after all these years.
