Tag: other lives

Other Lives 10/10/15

Posted on Posted in New York CityTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

Act 1: Desert

  1. New Fog
  2. Tamer Animals
  3. Desert
  4. No Trouble
  5. As I Lay My Head Down
  6. Dark Horse
  7. Easy Way Out

Act 2: Dustbowl

  1. Dustbowl III
  2. Weather
  3. Landforms
  4. For 12
  5. For the Last
  6. Need a Line

Act 3: Space

  1. 2 Pyramids
  2. Pattern
  3. Untitled
  4. Black Tables
  5. Reconfiguration
  6. Ritual

(b) highlights

  • the whole conception of the show was freaking cool – BAM is a bomb ass venue and I wish more bands did exactly what Other Lives did with this performance
  • cannot underscore enough how awesome the visuals were
  • the acoustics of the venue were out of control great
  • Other Lives’ material was perfectly intertwined with the stage production; such a beautiful experience

(c) lowlights

  • none – it was amazing

(d) overall thoughts

Other Lives are a freaking cool band and, somehow, they put on a full-stage production of their entire discography at BAM, aka the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which is a gorgeous seated theatre. I’m not sure how the band decided to put together this performance, but thematically, it allowed them to pay tribute to their vast collection of music and tell a visual narrative that was equal parts moving and entertaining.

The show began with a desert theme – an idea I’ve always connected to, being from the west coast – and the stage production depicted this so well. With sandy dunes and setting suns, the stage had physical moving parts that really brought the music alive. I’ve always greatly appreciated Other Lives’ use of strings and horns, but their display here really brought their quintessential sound to the next level. I didn’t even mind that we were all sitting for it. It still worked.

The Dustbowl act was really cool too, because I know the band is from Oklahoma, so it felt like getting a unique insight into their home in a Steinbeck-by-way-of-Brooklyn sort of way. The final act devoted to other worldly space was exceptionally beautiful and really wrapped up the narrative nicely. The whole show was so beautiful and difficult to explain, but I think the best experiences are sometimes.

Bottom line: Other Lives put on one of the most unique and beautiful performances I’d ever seen; it desperately made me wish more bands combined their music with traditional theatre and stage productions. It was quite unforgettable.

otherlivesdavidgaume
Photo by David Guame

otherlivesnyt
Photo by the New York Times

otherlivesvillagevoice
Photo by Village Voice

 

Other Lives 5/30/15

Posted on Posted in New York CityTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Reconfiguration
    2. Easy Way Out
    3. As I Lay My Head Down
    4. Land Forms
    5. Desert
    6. 2 Pyramids
    7. Pattern
    8. For 12
    9. Tamer Animals
    10. English Summer
    11. Dark Horse
    12. Weather
    13. For The Last

Encore:

  1. Black Tables
  2. Something In The Way (Nirvana cover)
  3. Great Sky
  4. Dust Bowl III

(b) highlights

  • seeing Other Lives for the first time and not being disappointed!
  • the wonderful use of horns on several tracks – never over-powering, always just the right amount
  • loved the band’s use of strings
  • Jesse Tabish is an interesting frontman, an understated performer who still leads
  • how their “middle plains dust bowl”-vibe was actually authentic and not annoyingly put-on like Mumford & Sons or nonsense like that

(c) lowlights

  • a random drunk chick in the audience who was annoying and needed to go home

(d) overall thoughts

I had only ever heard a song or two by Other Lives before this show. My roommate is a big fan and considers the band local hometown heroes, seeing as she – like the band – hails from Oklahoma. It can be strange going into a show with no real idea how things will turn out, but I thoroughly enjoyed Other Lives. They walk this unique line of being a rock band with an alternative dust-bowl, not-quite-country edge and add a brass and strings section. And it totally works.

Their live show is a bit ethereal and intimate, personal and large-sounding at the same time. The Bowery Ballroom is a small venue, but I felt like the music could’ve beautifully filled a place like Carnegie Hall, or even bigger. The lights were coordinated to the sound in a perfect way; it felt like we had journeyed together through something real and emotional by the end of it.

Bottom Line: More people should know about Other Lives – they’ve got a huge, unique sound while still remaining intimately close with the audience, and that’s cool.