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| The Historic Tabernacle |
Manchester Orchestra, Cage the Elephant, O’Brother – The Tabernacle – May 25, 2011 *Sold Out
This is one of those shows in which I pre-ordered my ticket at least three months in advance and absolutely could not wait for the day of the show to arrive. I’ve had the privilege to see Manchester Orchestra live multiple times and they are a band I could never get tired seeing live. I have also seen O’Brother perform last year and I was ecstatic that I was going to see them again. Cage the Elephant I have never seen before but have been a fan of their albums. I knew hands down that it was going to be a good night. Once it was announced that this show was sold out I felt even more privileged to be there.
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| O’ Brother |
O’Brother is an indie rock band from Atlanta and they started off the night right. They are completely entertaining to watch perform live and they are good at what they do. Lead vocalist Tanner Merritt has such an amazing voice that draws you in and the instrumentals that surrounds it is heavy at times but in all the right places. O’Brother has perfected the balance between heavy and light in their music and is very powerful on stage. Their new album Beneath Your Garden Window should be releasing late summer and I can only imagine how great it is going to be. O’ Brother is one band that you don’t want to miss live and they are going on tour this July with The Dear Hunter.
Next up was Cage The Elephant. I’m not sure how to describe their live show but it was different to say the least. Cage the Elephant’s front man has so much energy on stage and he ran around like there was no tomorrow. I think it was slightly overpowering and took away from their music because his vocals weren’t strong. He did calm down a few times when they played their slower songs like “Rubber Ball” and he sang beautifully. They could be considered one of the few bands that I enjoy their recordings but not their live set. They are very talented but their performance just wasn’t appealing to me.
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| Andy and Jonathan from Manchester Orchestra |
Manchester Orchestra graced the stage next. The main reason I am in love with this band is the power of their lyrics and how much I can relate to them. Every record they produce has struck a different chord in my heart and their live performances showcase some of these amazing songs. It is such an unique experience every time I see them perform live and they played a good mixture of new and old songs including a few from their new release ‘Simple Math’. Pounding drums, swelling guitars, Andy Hull’s moving vocals, the breakdowns, and the crowd screaming/singing the lyrics back to the band all contribute to the night. Andy Hull expressed his appreciation to the crowd for the sold out home town show and he highlighted the many times he came to the Tabernacle to see his favorite artists play in the same historic room. I encourage anyone who hasn’t seen this band live to do so if they ever have the opportunity.
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