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BANDS: Punk & Ska INTERESTS: Venues ETC... About LOTD
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Snow Patrol with Eisley at The Aladdin
Awhile back, I was going through a Mogwai phase. Im sure a number of you have been there. Well, in my frequent googling at the time, I stumbled upon a collaborative band called the Reindeer Section, and eventually on to Snow Patrol. Since this discovery, Snow Patrol has never failed to supply me with poppy sing-along lyrics, and upbeat melodies to compliment those sunny summer days, or long car rides to Idaho. I missed their Portland show last spring, but upon hearing that they would be returning this fall, my roommate ran out and bought tickets. At first, I was very excited, but then I heard it: Snow Patrol was being played on one of the local popular/alternative radio stations. Personally, I think its great that they are finding such success, but being played on this particular station tends to change the demographic of the audience. I began to have some trepidation about attending the sold out show and possibly finding myself to be, by far, the oldest person in the room. During the drive to the Aladdin, I had visions of screaming teenage girls throwing themselves at the stage. I knew I was going to need a beer. Once we arrived, however, I was relieved to find that although I may have been one of the oldest there, it wasnt by much. And, there was only one squealer, seated right behind me. The show opened with Eisley, a band from Austin, Texas. The young, five-piece band gave a great performance. Fabulous keyboards and rollicking guitars paired against two beautiful, melodic voices. Eisley rocked with a distinctly romantic and feminine feel. The only thing that gave away their age was the lyrics. The band entertained us with songs about love, heartbreak, and something about gumdrops. Eisley announced the release of their first full album in January 2005. And, considering their talent, on stage, it may be one worth looking into. Shortly after Eisley departed to work the merch table, Snow Patrol made their appearance. Lead singer, Gary Lightbody, made the appropriate introductions, and the show began. Within minutes, I realized that Snow Patrols latest album Last Straw had spent too much time being cleaned up in the studio. The live version of Snow Patrol is harder, more energetic, and frankly, better than the album. From what I saw, Snow Patrol is a group of guys who just love being on stage and entertaining the crowd. The group played much of their current album, threw in a few earlier songs, and even played one from their side project, The Reindeer Section. The charismatic Lightbody captivated everyone with his boyish presence and tousled mop of brown curls. The audience pressed themselves to the stage and bounced along with the music. Then, as the show began to peak, Snow Patrol played their popular cover of Crazy in Love by Beyonce. We all laughed, cheered and danced through the song. Upon finishing the cover, Lightbody called out to someone in the crowd saying, Hey, dont look so confused. Its supposed to be fun! Fun is exactly what the show was. Snow Patrol plays a lot of shows and gives great performances. Their growing popularity is proof that hard work is paying off. For a great night out, Snow Patrol is worth the admission.
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