Boombox Saint

The Bravery [Live at the Loft | Atlanta | 10/20/09]

Sometimes when I haven’t seen a band play for a while, I forget how much I love them.  I could have been into a band for years, seen them dozens of times and when it comes time to give them a bit of a break, I forget about them for all-too-long.  That was the case with the Bravery, I’m not gonna lie.  They had been recently relegated to my early retirement shelf.  Fortunately, a club tour in advance of their next album coaxed me into dusting off my love for the New York five piece.

After a lovely dinner with Lisette, we headed to the Loft.  I assumed, based on the pre-show scoop, that the Living Things were opening, turns out after having their van, trailer and gear stolen in Philly, they were off the tour.  Instead we were treated to a brief set by the Dustys, who were ok despite the constant presence of an annoyingly overplayed cabasa attached to the keyboardist’s mic.  Not my scene, but not too bad, either.

Direct support was provided by Crash Kings; they’re a trio, with the bulk of the work being done by cutie singer/keyboardist dude.  He has rad tattoos and is in need of a haircut, but the most striking thing about this dude is his voice.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on the vibe, but there is something pleasantly familiar about his sound.  I liked Crash Kings quite a bit for the majority of their set —- then they hit a rough spot, playing a song that went on and on and ON.  Just when I thought it was going to end, the chorus kicked in again.  I would see this band again, and according to singer dude, they’ll be back in a few weeks with Rooney, so I most likely will.  Singer dude tells me he is friends with Robert Schwartzman and that is how they got the Rooney gig.  He also said, as far as the Bravery tour went, that they got the call about the gig and hit the road in the van the next morning, driving cross country (from LA to West Palm) in 52 hours.

Despite the fact that this show did not sell well (it was originally slated for Center Stage but was moved to the considerably smaller Loft the night before the show), the fans that were in attendance, arrived excited to hear the Bravery’s new material.

This was an odd crowd, ranging in age from teens to the oddly out-of-place grandparent set.  I hung out back drinking PBRs with the “industry types” as the band hit the stage (thanks for the drinks Scotty D!), but managed to skulk my way up front before long.  I took my place at stage right to enjoy the set (and the view of “Mr. Hotness,” Mike Hindert [bass]).

The band played a quick set speckled with songs from their upcoming album, Stir the Blood.  Hits like “No Brakes,” “Fearless,” “An Honest Mistake,” “The Ocean (Moon version),”and “Every Word Is a Knife in My Ear” kept fans energized.

Standout new tracks included lead single “Slow Poison,” “Hatefuck,” and the less than impressively named “Jack-o-lantern Man.”  The Velvet Underground-esque “She’s So Bendable,” which featured an impressive turn by Hindert on lead vocals and guitar as frontman Sam Endicott covered the bass duties, may best speak to the potential of the band’s third major label release.

On the less than important news tip, since I last saw the band, guitarist Michael Zakarin has gotten one hell of a haircut, which rivaled Hindert in the cuteness department.  Speaking of Hindert, and at the risk of sounding creepy, (I guess based on where I was standing this time —- I always seem to catch their shows from stage left) I really checked him out during the show.  It’s funny to watch him observing people and then, just as they look at him, he looks away quickly, almost nervously.  Speaking of weird shit, I am pretty sure I spotted We Are Scientists’ old sidekick “Mr. Asscrack” tech-ing for the Bravery.  I meant to say hello, but he disappeared before I had a proper opportunity.  Speaking of opportunities, big props to Lisette, Tulashi, and Scotty D from Universal/Island Def Jam for the tickets, beer, hang time & fun.  Speaking of fun, thanks to the band for general post-show awesomeness, as always!