New Music Series: Blanket Barricade (Part Three)

Previously:
    The DJ music fades and the band officially take their places just as Carla Gallo gets ready to take advantage, anally, of Jonah Hill onscreen. It couldn’t have been a more perfect time to distract from the background movie...

By the time 9:45 rolls around there is a palpable buzz filling Joe’s Apartment, as we are all about to experience the debut show of an album 3 years in the making. Despite not having played together before, it’s clear that Blanket Barricade has already begun to develop a following, most likely through the amazing videos they’ve been releasing online. It doesn't hurt, either, that the venue seems to be filled with people that know at least one musician in this 6-piece band. An enthusiastic audience response follows frontman Wesley’s quick introduction of the group, and they quickly delve into the first song. Unfortunately, whatever level and feedback issues seemed to have been plaguing Cumulus Discord don’t appear to have been completely rectified for this opening number, and Wesley’s vocals are drowned out between the instrumental accompaniment and the crowd’s cheers. However, what you can hear gives a strong indication of the layering so fundamental to BB’s sound, and the crowd doesn’t seem to be put off as the sound mixer adjusts the levels.

    By the second song, “A Velvet Affair”, things have settled in, and there is a good blend of vocals (you can actually make out the lyrics now), instruments, and atmosphere. This is one of the songs the band has already recorded a video for, so while you’re waiting for the album to be released you can check it out online (www.blanketbarricade.com/videos). Although before the show she admitted to being nervous about her first public performance since high school, you wouldn’t be able to tell Mary-Lee hasn’t played on stage in years as she effortlessly moves from one instrument to the next. The rainstick is especially popular, with the generic “woo” catcalls becoming cheers for the particular instrument. Already, Blanket Barricade is showing all the makings of a great jam band, and I’d love to be able to see them in a bigger venue, perhaps an outdoor music festival, where their sound really has a chance to expand and fill the space. Before their set, the band expressed a desire to mould their live performances to each venue (should make for an interesting show the following night as they play some sort of school dance), so if they bring this much energy to a small space like Joe’s Apartment, I can only imagine the effect of a larger platform.

Only a few songs in and the entire crowd is on their feet, except me, as I’m stuck glued to my notebook, trying to keep it away from the drunk Australian man who seems convinced I am sad and alone, not busy and writing for a music site. Fortunately, he gives up before “Just Because” comes on, as this is definitely a slower, more romantic song than those that precede it. A favourite of flute and keyboard player, Myles, “Just Because” is a stand-out for me as well, and is featured online in the trailer for Blanket Barricade’s 4-part music video saga (you can also find this on their website). Obviously the slower pacing of this song is not a sign of things to come but rather a refreshing breather for both band and audience, as the energy continues to grow and the band begins to really hit their stride as they move into “X-Out” (not that they were exactly off-pace before). As with Windsor Castle and Cumulus Discord, Blanket Barricade doesn’t waste time on forced, awkward small-talk, and Wesley seems very comfortable casually repeating the band name, pointing out the merch table, and dedicating songs over the course of the set. It’s always a good sign when band members are confident enough in themselves and in the group to let the music do most of the communicating, and although Blanket Barricade has essentially been a solo project for over 2 years, their performance seems the most like a group collaboration of all three bands on stage tonight.

Another instrument I’ve been waiting to hear since Mary-Lee brought it on stage is the bongo, and it finally gets its chance to shine on “Stray Shadows”, a darker song that definitely lives up to the “theatrical rock” label. This time, the feedback is deliberate and controlled, a creative use of an unconventional instrument. Although I didn’t know the song at the time, “Stray Shadows” has since been featured on part 1 of the video saga, and you can check out this screen adaptation on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIyI04Gk7ZM). The band has expressed a desire to release a video for every track on the album, but if they chose to do conventional singles, as well, I’m hoping the next song on the set list is the first one chosen. I’d already listened to “Hype Machine” online when watching the killer animated video, and although it’s live debut was only the second time I’d heard the track, I found myself singing along with the band, and the rest of the audience. It’s catchy, it’s kind of dark, and it’s definitely daring, so it seems like a natural choice if the band were to chose only one song to make an immediate impression. It’s doesn’t hurt that the accompanying video is extremely creative and unique, making for a stand-out combo.

The show builds to a crescendo just as Aldous Snow stages his triumphant comeback and although “Get Him to the Greek” was not the least-distracting choice Joe’s Apartment could have made for background TV, the pacing at least seems to be right in line with the live musical performances. Although there’s not a huge crowd out on this rainy Thursday at Joe’s Apartment, they’ve clearly been loving the music all night long, bringing more energy and a stronger response than I’ve experienced at a lot of better attended shows. With 2 songs left to go, I’m already so happy to be writing what seems to be my first unapologetically positive review, as I’ve truly enjoyed meeting this group of talented musicians who bring a genuine enthusiasm to their art.
    The flip side of “X-Out”, “X-In” is the second last song of the night, and it's a nice and, dare I say, jaunty piece that keeps up the positive energy. Wesley announces the last song to be Myles’ big track (“Give it up, Myles”), and the keyboardist responds with something that sounds like keyboard-created electric xylophone (yes, if you’ve read my writing before, you know I am not a music student...). Whatever he’s doing, it’s working, and “Hollow Eyes” proves to be a solid rock song, one that allows for long instrumental breaks so that Wesley can introduce each member of the band and their instrument before shutting the night down with the repeated hook. In this way, the show is definitely like a piece of live theatre, as you could substitute the band members for actors coming forward to take their bow before closing the show out with a reprise of the title track.

In the end, the band has debuted their entire album and gained a bar full of fans in the process. I’d definitely recommend checking out their site and YouTube channel for their videos, and stay tuned as they release the next 3 parts of the video saga. The album should be out around the turn of the month, and although it’s a solid debut filled with creative artwork, I think this is a band you really need to see live. Bringing 70 layers of recording to life with just 6 people is a feat in and of itself, and Blanket Barricade have proven themselves more than capable of making the transition from Wesley’s 3 years in-the-making solo dream to a truly collaborative and fulfilling group effort.

http://blanketbarricade.com
http://www.twitter.com/blanketbarricad
http://www.facebook.com/blanketbarricade
http://www.youtube.com/user/blanketbarricade

You can also check out the rest of Amy’s pictures from the night in our photo gallery section (http://www.unnomdeguerre.com/photos/blanket-barricade/)