Re-Media Mix Show
Tune in: High or Low
On Air
It's Like Pixie Sticks for Your Mind
Concert date:
June 1, 2006
Location(s)
Douglas Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St
PortlandReview:
June 1, 2006 at Doug Fir proved to be one of those "had to be there" moments in time. The Boy Least Likely To and The Bicycles gave a memorable and rainbow pop, fantastic display of music, performance, and stage presence.
Toronto based band The Bicycles opened up first to a speckled crowd of minimal amounts. Outfitted in black t-shirts highlighted by a large B, The Bicycles found their comfort in mixing their quick witted and overly sweet sounds and band interaction in between numbers. The five members recently released their album, The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly and were brand spanking new to the tour, with Vancouver B.C. and Seattle preceding Portland's visit. Singer and guitarist Matt, aka Meatball, sings like a wind up toy on helium, plays his guitar as if he's done this kind of thing for ages, and smiles like he means it anytime his lyrics reference cuddly or shiny. The band is solid in their freshmen attempt and performs onstage like veterans, but in the "we're not jaded, we actually care about our sound and audience" sense. And to a music purveyor, humbleness will win me over. They were all quite eager to chat, sign a poster, and even asked for directions to get back onto the interstate.
Touring with a band like Boy Least Likely To doesn't hurt their reputation one bit. Following a 40 minute break in between sets with appropriately themed Beach Boys, 60's doo-wop and Motown songs filling the time, the British boys (and girl) finally landed onstage. Opening with "Hugging My Grudge," Peter Hob’s strong harmonica and drummer Alastair's up tempo syncopated beat filled the half occupied venue. Jumping into “Fur As Soft As Fur,” the glockenspiel made its appearance, and during "Paper Cuts" the middle-aged mom, drunken bar fly, and swirling girl (all I'm assuming drugs) swarmed close to the stage. And as awful as it is to admit, this is when the show took on dual personas. The band did their thing, but oh my, the characters below did their thing, and everyone in the vicinity was torn as to whom to pay attention to. After a George Michael "Faith" cover unfinished due to audience improvisation and unexpected chuckles from everyone, the night was simply not just an audience watching a band, it was a united performance of us watching them watching us.
This is the part where those "had to be there" moments come into play. Anyone at the show could pinpoint the moment our drunken mistress fell face first while dancing, and how could we dismiss our soccer mom snapping pictures of the band like a tourist? The definitive moment of swirling girl swaying to the beats of "I'm Glad I Hitched My Applewagon to Your Star" touching, grinding, and singing proved more a spectacle, even to lead singer Jof Owens, who just looked on in awe while myself, complete strangers and The Bicycles, who were behind me, struggled to balance focusing on the song, maintaining our composure of witnessing such a display, and simply just not busting up with laughter. Of course we all did burst with the giggles when other audience members started mimicking her style, which in turn, spread like wild fire. But, Boy Least Likely To, that's what you get when you open for James Blunt and then try to headline your own tour. You are bound to get all these characters, most of whom don’t even know your style, just that you fell sucker to mainstream. And you're almost certain to have to prove yourself a worthy touring band, a noble and low key Indie inspiration in order to cleanse yourself of that Blunt mishap. And they did. You did!
Taking the unexpected elements in stride, the band modestly pulled off most tracks on their album with vigor and energetic pride, and even introduced two new songs. Their finale was their #1 European hit, that's now receiving minimal airplay (in part to those Blunt heads, no doubt) in the states, "Be Gentle With Me" from their newest album The Best Party Ever. As cuddly soft and gooey centered as it is, it was welcomed as an anthem to the evening that the half mainstream, half Indie folk could both bounce to. Topped off with an explosion of bubbles from the sides of the stage, the close of their set transformed into an episodic adventure fit for Spongebob Squarepants. Normally, this would be the line that defines fun and cheesy, but any show that involves a crowd who implores that the band take off their pants or sing more George Michael, I don't care what side of the line it falls on. And with soothing British accents, how can anyone really not enjoy glitter soaked, dream pop, bubblegum rock and roll? It’s better than anything James Blunt would do.
- Justin Saylor
KPSU Editorial Team
Artist:
The Boy Least Likely To and The Bicycles
The Boy Least Likely To and The Bicycles
June 1, 2006
Douglas Fir Lounge
It's Like Pixie Sticks for Your Mind
June 1, 2006 at Doug Fir proved to be one of those "had to be there" moments in time. The Boy Least Likely To and The Bicycles gave a memorable and rainbow pop, fantastic display of music, performance, and stage presence.
Toronto based band The Bicycles opened up first to a speckled crowd of minimal amounts. Outfitted in black t-shirts highlighted by a large B, The Bicycles found their comfort in mixing their quick witted and overly sweet sounds and band interaction in between numbers. The five members recently released their album, The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly and were brand spanking new to the tour, with Vancouver B.C. and Seattle preceding Portland's visit. Singer and guitarist Matt, aka Meatball, sings like a wind up toy on helium, plays his guitar as if he's done this kind of thing for ages, and smiles like he means it anytime his lyrics reference cuddly or shiny. The band is solid in their freshmen attempt and performs onstage like veterans, but in the "we're not jaded, we actually care about our sound and audience" sense. And to a music purveyor, humbleness will win me over. They were all quite eager to chat, sign a poster, and even asked for directions to get back onto the interstate.
Touring with a band like Boy Least Likely To doesn't hurt their reputation one bit. Following a 40 minute break in between sets with appropriately themed Beach Boys, 60's doo-wop and Motown songs filling the time, the British boys (and girl) finally landed onstage. Opening with "Hugging My Grudge," Peter Hob’s strong harmonica and drummer Alastair's up tempo syncopated beat filled the half occupied venue. Jumping into “Fur As Soft As Fur,” the glockenspiel made its appearance, and during "Paper Cuts" the middle-aged mom, drunken bar fly, and swirling girl (all I'm assuming drugs) swarmed close to the stage. And as awful as it is to admit, this is when the show took on dual personas. The band did their thing, but oh my, the characters below did their thing, and everyone in the vicinity was torn as to whom to pay attention to. After a George Michael "Faith" cover unfinished due to audience improvisation and unexpected chuckles from everyone, the night was simply not just an audience watching a band, it was a united performance of us watching them watching us.
This is the part where those "had to be there" moments come into play. Anyone at the show could pinpoint the moment our drunken mistress fell face first while dancing, and how could we dismiss our soccer mom snapping pictures of the band like a tourist? The definitive moment of swirling girl swaying to the beats of "I'm Glad I Hitched My Applewagon to Your Star" touching, grinding, and singing proved more a spectacle, even to lead singer Jof Owens, who just looked on in awe while myself, complete strangers and The Bicycles, who were behind me, struggled to balance focusing on the song, maintaining our composure of witnessing such a display, and simply just not busting up with laughter. Of course we all did burst with the giggles when other audience members started mimicking her style, which in turn, spread like wild fire. But, Boy Least Likely To, that's what you get when you open for James Blunt and then try to headline your own tour. You are bound to get all these characters, most of whom don’t even know your style, just that you fell sucker to mainstream. And you're almost certain to have to prove yourself a worthy touring band, a noble and low key Indie inspiration in order to cleanse yourself of that Blunt mishap. And they did. You did!
Taking the unexpected elements in stride, the band modestly pulled off most tracks on their album with vigor and energetic pride, and even introduced two new songs. Their finale was their #1 European hit, that's now receiving minimal airplay (in part to those Blunt heads, no doubt) in the states, "Be Gentle With Me" from their newest album The Best Party Ever. As cuddly soft and gooey centered as it is, it was welcomed as an anthem to the evening that the half mainstream, half Indie folk could both bounce to. Topped off with an explosion of bubbles from the sides of the stage, the close of their set transformed into an episodic adventure fit for Spongebob Squarepants. Normally, this would be the line that defines fun and cheesy, but any show that involves a crowd who implores that the band take off their pants or sing more George Michael, I don't care what side of the line it falls on. And with soothing British accents, how can anyone really not enjoy glitter soaked, dream pop, bubblegum rock and roll? It’s better than anything James Blunt would do.
- Justin Saylor
KPSU Editorial Team
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