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The Long Winter & Stars of Track and Field @ Blind Pig - 3/25/07 by Nick Meador
Not many people ever get to be stars at anything. In high school, participants on the track team were definitely not hailed as purveyors of valor and honor. They belonged largely to the forgotten people — the lonely souls who passed through the halls unnoticed. But while the “popular kids” go on to be sanitation workers and trophy wives, the forgotten ones eventually take over the world. I don’t know where the members of Stars of Track and Field belonged. My guess is somewhere between the two extremes. The Oregonian trio (whose name may or may not be borrowed from the Belle and Sebastian song) consists of Kevin Calaba (vocals/guitar/keyboard), Jason Bell (vocals/guitar) and Daniel Orvik (drums/electronics). The guitars were a blue Rickenbacker and gold Gibson Les Paul, to be precise. The group’s debut album Centuries Before Love And War (Wind-up Records) was released last fall, and it’s the stuff that Northwestern indie rock dreams are made of. From the opening song “Say Hello,” the audience could hear that they had a big, melodic sound like Band of Horses, electronic touches like Mobius Band, and an emotional side like Death Cab for Cutie. On stage, they were dressed in black with bandanas around their neck (the first band I’ve seen pull off this look since Broken Social Scene). Calaba and Bell had soft voices that blended well together, while Orvik manned the bass machine that filled the gap left by not having a bass guitarist. The band also had an impressive light show, alternating between swirling colors and flashing strobes. The pre-recorded electronics would restrict some artists, but in this case it reinforced their pop ethic. They also took ample time to rock out at any opportunity — especially Bell, whose guitar freak-outs were a pleasant counterpoint to the band’s calculated craft. Most importantly, it was apparent that they were having fun together. The stage was well set for the Long Winters, a group that formed in Alaska but now calls Seattle home. Eric Corson (bass), Jonathan Rothman (guitar) and Nabil Ayers (drums) form the backbone of the band. Front man John Roderick, currently identifiable by his combed-back blonde hair, thick mustache and retro glasses, is a natural comedian on stage. He reminded me of Colin Meloy of the Decemberists (another Northwesterner), as I expected from the way his personality jumps out of their recordings. Both performers somehow form an instant bond with the audience at a live show. The band preferred a simple stage set-up (Roderick joked about the black lights, and they were quickly turned off), with mostly red lighting in front and back of the group. After the first song Roderick said, “Let’s dispense with all the formalities,” and then instructed the crowd to yell out requests. What followed was a sort of live jukebox of Long Winters songs, played as if the crowd were all close friends gathered in a dusty Western saloon. The band’s catchy, guitar-driven indie rock was consistent on songs like “Sky Is Open,” “Teaspoon” and “Scared Straight” (which was awesome despite the missing horn section). The beauty of some songs, like “Seven,” from their 2006 album Putting The Days To Bed, was even more evident in a live setting. Roderick is often compared to Michael Stipe of R.E.M., but I think a better match is Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. Either way, there’s a mid-90s alternative element in the mix. Corson and Rothman did double duty, playing keyboard at times. Their music is heartfelt, and while they take the music seriously, they seemed very comfortable on stage. The intimate set-up made them appear more like a local band. People crave that intimacy with performers, because it makes them seem more real. The Blind Pig wasn’t filled to the brim, but every person in the venue was a dedicated fan. The set reminded me of when Death Cab for Cutie played at the MSU Union Ballroom in the winter of 2004. Then, in August 2006, they headlined Friday at Lollapalooza. That band was about to explode, as many Northwestern bands have done over the past few years. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Long Winters were next in line to get the attention they deserve. For now they’ll play on, performing to the kind of fans most “stars” only dream of having. Links The
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