What better way to celebrate the destruction of our planet, than to see Caribou on Thursday night? Paul was kind enough to hook me up with a ticket. When we got to the venue, the opening band, Fuck Buttons, were still fucking buttons. The show was piped into the speakers downstairs, so we could hear what we were in for…I was a little scared. It sounded off the charts loud (I’m old-ish and my eardrums are way more sensitive than they used to be). Paul was eager to get inside and I didn’t want him to think I was a wimp, so I followed. Fuck Buttons were definitely loud, but at the time it didn’t seem like eardrum shattering loud. It was more like, so loud that it made my skin shake….which felt pretty cool. I had the urge to dance, old-school raver style, but apparently people don’t dance in Williamsburg. Not wanting to be that girl, I just folded my arms across my chest and bent my knees up and down like everyone else in the room. Then Caribou came on. Wow! They were amazing. I was a fan of Andorra (Daniel Snaith’s last album), but it didn’t really blow me away. I think Caribou is just one of those bands you have to see live to fully appreciate. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, any band that uses two drummers is a winner in my book. And to add sprinkles to the cupcake, they positioned the drum kits at the front of the stage, so you could watch both Snaith and the other drummer dude (whose name I don’t know) in all their spazzy, Cerebral Palsyesque glory. Not only was the band insanely tight, but so was the video projection going on in the background – keeping me both visually and sonically entertained. After the encore, when the music stopped and my skin began to reattach to the bone, I realized that both Caribou and Fuck Buttons were actually eardrum shattering loud. I tried to have a conversation with Paul, but he sounded all muted and wah-wah–wah Charlie Brown. I went to sleep that night with that horrible post concert ring…where everything around you is silent, but you can still hear a pounding, white noise hum. My ears have since healed and I can say without a doubt, it was worth the pain. After seeing Caribou play I feel as though the earth….hemp loving Hippies….all of mankind…we’re going to be okay (as long as we continue to recycle!).
Caribou– She’s The One
Caribou– Melody Day
Fuck Buttons– Ribs Out