My Old Kentucky Blog: Show and Photo Recap : Caribou & Fuck Buttons : 05/02/08 : The MP3 blog that puts some stank in it.

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

I'd heard every possible reason why I should love Caribou. Friends, whose opinions I value, constantly asked questions like "Have you even listened to Up In Flames?!" or "Do you really like music?" When I respond positively to both questions, I inevitably get a response along the lines of "You're an idiot." or "I'm not sure if I'm cool being associated with you anymore." Fair enough, I suppose. But it's not that I didn't try. Some things appeal to you and some things don't, right?. That is unless it's Caribou, as my friends would say. Well, being the good friend that I am, I decided I'd wait to completely write them off until I'd had the chance to see them live. I got my chance Friday when the band came to Bloomington's most intimate of venues, the Waldron Arts Center, with Fuck Buttons as support. Attend the show I did and, as a result, I am now on a steady new diet of eating every negative word I'd ever said about Caribou.

The UK's Fuck Buttons kicked off the show that was surprisingly well-attended, given that it was graduation day at IU. Comprised of just two members and a slew of electronics, Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power stood facing each other at either end of a large white table and, without breaks, played the hell out of their keyboards, knobs, and effects pedals. Along with it being a passionate, high-energy performance, an equally intriguing part of the show was realizing that, at one point, Andrew Hung was playing an old school Game Boy - not for Tetris or Super Mario, but to achieve specific noise elements and drum sounds. On top of that, Benjamin John Power used only a tiny Fisher-Price microphone for his vocals, which he somehow converted to create a frightening distortion effect. The highlight of the show, however, was seeing Hung grab a mic and sporadically dance all over the room while chanting like some kind of deranged Indian - all in front of a seated crowd that wasn't sure what to make of what they were watching. Definitely a show worth seeing, especially if you don't mind the sound of your ears being torn in half.

Caribou then followed, inviting the crowd to not only stand closer but to circle around them almost entirely as well. I stood within arms reach of guitarist Ryan Smith and directly behind the bands new touring drummer, Ahmed Gallab, who has stepped in momentarily following their original drummer's unfortunate fall from a ladder and subsequent broken wrist. From where I stood, several feet behind the PA, the vocals coming from Mr. Caribou himself, Dan Snaith, were faintly audible, but otherwise it was about as intimate a set as one could imagine. Smith even joked under his breath, saying, "It feels like we're shooting a Nirvana video." Watching Caribou perform gave me a new appreciation for musical timing. Snaith, already an accomplished drummer in his own right, never missed a beat, but it was Gallab who single-handedly stole the show, ferociously keeping time while accenting the bass and guitar with flashy rhythms and a relentless yet modest energy that had the whole crowd transfixed. What never appealed to me on record - songs like Melody Day, Skunks, and Crayon, - suddenly made sense in a live setting and as the band finished their set, I could only stand and be amazed at how quickly I'd become a fan. The applause warranted an encore and the band returned to play Everytime She Turns Round It's Her Birthday, officially silencing any of my doubts for good. Like some big fireworks show grand finale, all four musicians, including a lucky fan in the front row, grabbed drumsticks, found some percussion and went to town, creating a mess of noise that seemed to shake the building. I decided then and there what needed to be done - go home, swallow my pride, and admit to my friends just how big a fool I'd been.

Caribou - Sundialing
F*ck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow

See all the photos by clicking here!

Caribou in Bloomington on 050208