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Carolina, & DC

Love Apple with First Night on Earth and Pyramid in Charlotte, NC at The Evening Muse - 11/30/02

Pyramid

This was my first time to The Evening Muse, a little place in Charlottes hip and arty NoDa district. The drinks were expensive, and the room was furnished with patio furniture; but the vibe was friendly, and the sound was pretty good. I would definitely go there again - only now I will have the
foresight to drink before I get there.

The first band to play was called Pyramid. All I know about them is that theyre from Charlotte they dont have a website yet, and nobody could provide me with any background info on them. Of course I could have just talked to them while I was there and found out everything I needed to know, but I didnt. Im an idiot.

I did not have a good view of the entire stage, but Pyramid appeared to have at least six or seven members onstage at any given moment, with members rotating on and off to accommodate various instrument changes. There was a violin, cello, accordion, clarinet, and some other horns that I couldnt quite see along with the usual guitar, bass, and drums. One of the guitarists had a habit of playing his instrument with a bow.

The music was amazing. Mostly slow, minimal, country-tinged rock dirges. Reminded me of a cross between Sparklehorse and Low. They sounded great, and based on the packed room they played to, Pyramid seem to have amassed a pretty good local following. Theyre performing again on December 27th, and Ill be there. (Meanwhile, if anyone can provide any information on this band, please contact me.) With all their cathartic sonic beauty, I knew Pyramid would be a hard act to follow.

First Night On Earth

Next up was First Night On Earth, also from Charlotte. This was the band I actually came to see, though I hadnt heard anything from them until this point. What struck me as odd was the fact that they were so normal looking. I mean, the lead singer looked like he had just come from working a shift at The Gap. It was kind of refreshing to see a band that was more concernedwith their music than they were with their image.

By far, the highlight of First Night On Earths performance was their guitarist, an extremely talented individual who made every song interesting. The band, true to the 400,000,000 testimonials on their website, had a strong Brit-pop influence. The sound mix could have been alittle better (probably the fault of the venue, not the band). I say, turn up the female backing vocal and turn down the cheesy keyboard percussion. I would have liked to have seen the band with lights dimmed - a blue backlight perhaps. They seemed uncomfortable under the harsh whitelights of The Evening Muse (maybe thats why the singer inexplicably donned sunglasses in the middle of the third song) and would be a dish best served with moody lighting to match their sound. Overall, I liked First Night On Earth and am looking forward to hearing their album (review coming soon), as Im sure these songs sound even better with a little studio-magic.

Love Apple

Last to play was Love Apple, from Columbia (South Carolina, not South America). By now it was late, and the majority of the crowd had gone home. The band played pop-punk, sounding like a cross between Nerf Herder and blue album Weezer. Fun songs played well with all the backing harmonies you would expect from the genre. Normally places book three or more bands just likethis, having them all play one after another, and it gets boring as hell. After Pyramid and First Night On Earth, I think everybody was in the mood for a little rock and roll, and Love Apple delivered. I dont think I would have liked them if they had played first, but they were the perfect ending to a great night out. Its a shame more people didnt stick around to see them.

Music by Love Apple can be purchased at CD Street
Music by First Night On Earth can be purchased atAmazon

Love Apple Official Website
LEFT OFF THE DIAL's First Night on Earth page

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