British Sea Power
3/24/08
Empty Bottle in Chicago
Once in awhile, you get to experience a band that you know without a doubt is going to become bigger than a small club will ever allow. I felt that way when I saw The Shins at Schubas and around this time last year when I saw Peter, Bjorn and John at the bottle in a similar two shows in one night setup. Monday night at the bottle was no different as British Sea Power set varied from cascading guitars to modern anthems. When the feeling comes, you have to savor it like a slowly melting candy because it doesn’t come often. Yes, British Sea Power are on their way up and when they ask the question Do You Like Rock Music?there are many in line to give them a resounding “Yes!”
I should back track and say that I’ve recently become a BSP fan, mainly because I am struck by how consistently good their recent album is. It’s not just that it has great songs on it…it’s as if the band has discovered their direction and come into their own. Reminiscent somewhat of fellow Brits, The Doves, British Sea Power command a presence like no other from the word go with the song “All In It.” At a pause, you think the song is finished and then waves of healing guitar noise hits you while the repetitive chorus reassures you. You can’t help but feel British Sea Power had some amazing revelation about how to really make music work this time around as the album continues into the realm of dark pop with “No Lucifer” and channels a musical camaraderie with “Waving Flags,” a clear winning single.
Getting back to their live performance, if you miss seeing them on this tour, it will be a mistake. That’s not only because, as mentioned earlier, they will undoubtedly be playing much larger venues soon. It’s also because their live performance assumes a level of assuredness that will put anyone who is fans of their songs in awe. They played their best material from their three releases though centered on their latest and greatest. Even after playing an earlier set, they didn’t look the least bit tired as they plowed through 90 minutes of material. Though focused for most of the duration on bringing out the energy contained within the songs, they really hammed it up at the end. It’s probably one of the first times I’ve seen a band crowd surf at the Bottle or climb up the rafters. They even invited audience members to join them on stage playing guitar! Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Let’s hope British Sea Power continue to awe audiences for many years to come.