i hate this, but need it. help me make it better.
On one snowy November evening, I walked excitedly into the cool and crowded Casbah. The lights were dimmed. The cigarette smoke stained my lungs. The anticipation of seeing one of my favourite groups was so evident it blinded my own sense of reality. Wintersleep, the indescribable rock band was playing on that cold winter night, the night that turned out to be so much more than the best concert I have ever experienced.
The Casbah, an intimate bar in Hamilton’s downtown core, held the perfect atmosphere for this exhilarating performance. Bands like Sylvie, Alive and Living and Ladies and Gentlemen each brought something new to the table as opening acts. Sylvie, an elusive and catchy rock band spilt their heartfelt music from the amps. The entire crowd bobbed their heads to the beat as the singers leaked the lyrics from their pores. Alive and Living, Hamitlon’s own fan favourite, played their first hometown show in months as they just got back from their across Canada tour the night before. Singer Chris Bell (ex-member of Chore) serenaded the audience with their new songs as band mates played flawlessly. Ladies and Gentlemen, the one band I had yet to hear prior to the show brought everyone in the room to their feet. Each member had a different instrument to play and a different harmony to sing. The combination of five men dressed in identical white outfits and the on the spot solos left the crowd unsure of where to look.
Alas, the time came for Wintersleep to start. Despite the early morning hours, the crowd was more lively than ever. Excitement in the room heightens as Wintersleep takes the stage. There I stood. Center stage; directly in front of lead singer, Paul Murphy. The guitars were tuned, the microphones were on, and the band was ready. Paul walks up to the mic and says shyly, “Hi, how are you all doing tonight?” and immediately starts the first song. The band played with such emotion you would believe it was their last show. Each member independently interacted with the audience. As the set continues, the grin on my face quickly turns into a smile that won’t leave my face for days. The entire crowd bobbed their heads in unison to the beat of the drums. They play a few new songs; instant classics. The audience sang out loud, as if trying to out do the band itself. In the song Migration the music stops and everyone in the room, even those who have not heard the song before, sang the words as loudly as they could. It was clear now that this was a concert no one would soon forget.
When listening to Wintersleep’s Untitled record, which was released early 2005, one would agree that it is even more difficult to define their music as it is to label. The lyrics speak of abstract views of love, but in a way that everyone can relate you. This is nothing in today’s rock music, but I dare thee to even try to find one genre that Wintersleep falls into. Fans announce they can fall under any genre, from indie rock to alternative rock with a country flare. Regardless, only one word comes to mind when I think about Wintersleep’s music; “Fantastic”.
The Casbah, an intimate bar in Hamilton’s downtown core, held the perfect atmosphere for this exhilarating performance. Bands like Sylvie, Alive and Living and Ladies and Gentlemen each brought something new to the table as opening acts. Sylvie, an elusive and catchy rock band spilt their heartfelt music from the amps. The entire crowd bobbed their heads to the beat as the singers leaked the lyrics from their pores. Alive and Living, Hamitlon’s own fan favourite, played their first hometown show in months as they just got back from their across Canada tour the night before. Singer Chris Bell (ex-member of Chore) serenaded the audience with their new songs as band mates played flawlessly. Ladies and Gentlemen, the one band I had yet to hear prior to the show brought everyone in the room to their feet. Each member had a different instrument to play and a different harmony to sing. The combination of five men dressed in identical white outfits and the on the spot solos left the crowd unsure of where to look.
Alas, the time came for Wintersleep to start. Despite the early morning hours, the crowd was more lively than ever. Excitement in the room heightens as Wintersleep takes the stage. There I stood. Center stage; directly in front of lead singer, Paul Murphy. The guitars were tuned, the microphones were on, and the band was ready. Paul walks up to the mic and says shyly, “Hi, how are you all doing tonight?” and immediately starts the first song. The band played with such emotion you would believe it was their last show. Each member independently interacted with the audience. As the set continues, the grin on my face quickly turns into a smile that won’t leave my face for days. The entire crowd bobbed their heads in unison to the beat of the drums. They play a few new songs; instant classics. The audience sang out loud, as if trying to out do the band itself. In the song Migration the music stops and everyone in the room, even those who have not heard the song before, sang the words as loudly as they could. It was clear now that this was a concert no one would soon forget.
When listening to Wintersleep’s Untitled record, which was released early 2005, one would agree that it is even more difficult to define their music as it is to label. The lyrics speak of abstract views of love, but in a way that everyone can relate you. This is nothing in today’s rock music, but I dare thee to even try to find one genre that Wintersleep falls into. Fans announce they can fall under any genre, from indie rock to alternative rock with a country flare. Regardless, only one word comes to mind when I think about Wintersleep’s music; “Fantastic”.
posted by meg at 2:44 a.m.
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