The content of this live review was originally posted on the online music and popular culture magazine I See Sound, which has been dormant for the entirety of 2008 thus far.
The night of this show became a memorable, live-changing evening for me. It was the events that took place after Island’s live performance that had an altering result on my life, but it is just as commonly referred to as “the night of the Islands show” as it is “when my truck rolled over.”
I wasn’t sure how to start this. I could use some quirky line about how a lot of people say, “I would die to see that band.” Or I could explain how uncomfortable the backseat of a police car is, for those of you who have never had that experience. Maybe I could talk about Divine Intervention (not the Matthew Sweet song – okay maybe I could talk about the lead track to his “Girlfriend” album). Or I could just burst out and tell the ending right away. But none of those beginnings are appropriate. This is a review of the Islands show at Elbo’s in Dayton, not the story of how I got there and back. I will explain what happened to me, but first let me explain how amazing this concert was.
It was an all ages show, build as being from 5-7:30 PM. I got there about 5:15 and the first band, Human Reunion, was finishing its sound check. Apparently Islands was running a little late. The show started around 6 with the headlining band not yet in the club.
“Thanks to Elbo’s for putting on this show. A lot of other places wouldn’t do it because it was early and all ages. What the fuck? Punk rock’s not for old people.” – Jeremy from Human Reunion
They were self-proclaimed “old people,” but Human Reunion put on a great rock show, flirting with Indie Rock but it seemed Punk Rock was who they really wanted to make out with. This four-piece from Dayton is lead by a charismatic and energetic singer who had the stage presence of a less drunk Robert Pollard (but could you ever image anyone else other than Pollard having good stage presence and being as drunk as him). Melodic bass lines and drums full of toms and cymbals propelled each song. They had a lot of distorted, driving guitars, but the synthesizers created the lush lead that filled out their sound.
“Thanks for waitin’, Dayton.” – Nick from Islands
When The Unicorns broke up, the first word of a new project was that Nick Diamond and J’aime Tambour were going to produce hip-hop. And they did. Then they formed Islands. They reportedly have an album due out next spring that was recorded in Montreal with the help of the members of fellow Canadian bands The Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, and Bell Orchestre. They decided to tour for the first 7 days of December with a 7-piece band that was all dressed in white from head to toe (because they were a little late, they managed to go on during the 7 o’clock hour). They started in Toronto and then began traveling from Chicago to the YWCA in Boston. This stop at Elbo’s was the third show of the weeklong tour.
With 3 of the 7 musicians switching instruments, there was a symphonic element to the layers of violins, guitars, piano/synth, bass clarinet, bass and drums. With this instrumentation and the versatility of the musicians, the band had the capability to play beautiful, orchestrated songs and balls-to-the-wall, three-guitar indie rock. The songs sounded similar to The Unicorns recordings I have heard, buy I liked this better. I think part of the reason was hearing the band in a live setting. The other reason was that the diversity of both the musicians and the band created a wonderfully lush and layered show.
“You do have insurance, right?” – the cop
I honestly can’t remember anything other than the truck sliding and slowly flipping. I have no clue what song was playing (I was listening to The Unicorn’s “Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone,” though), or exactly what exit of I-75 I was at, or what I was thinking about up until the accident. I only know that I suddenly hit some ice and swerved hard to the left, to the guardrail. I tried to slowly pull the tires back to the right and hit more ice. The truck spun around to the right 180 degrees before sliding into the grass. At this point I was gliding backwards in the median. As my truck skated into a small ditch, it slowly rolled onto the passenger side, onto the roof, and rested on the driver’s side. Everything in the truck fall onto me and what was now the bottom of the truck. It didn’t happen quickly with my life flashing before me. I seemed to know what was going to happen, so I just let it take its course. It was a little exciting, and definitely frightening when the truck actually flipped. When it stopped, I turned off the ignition and the lights and stood up on the driver’s window to look out. Someone immediately ran to the truck. He asked if I was all right. Everything felt fine. He said he didn’t want to help me out because he was afraid we would tip the truck back onto the roof. He called 911 and asked if I had a phone. “It’s in here somewhere.”
When I called 911, I reported what had happened. She asked if it was a red truck and said they were already sending someone to help me. She asked if I was at exit 44. I joked, “From my vantage point I can’t tell exactly which exit I’m at.” They were pretty sure that was where I was.
It was interesting to use the steering wheel as a footstep to climb out of my truck. I sat in the backseat of the police car as we waited for the tow truck. The backseat of a police car is not supposed to be cozy. It has no cushioning. It’s like sitting on cement. It’s formed in a manner that made me slouch over and feel crammed in an uncomfortable location (not unlike, but very different from, the backseat of a Volkswagen). Even though it was a little unnerving sitting in this pimped out ride that came fully equipped with a laptop, really bright lights, a few firearms and a cop, it was the safest place for me. Another car slid off the road behind us.
After my truck was reset to its normal, upright position, I looked over the damage some more. The driver’s side was dented and the door wouldn’t completely open, but it would close; the mirror on that side broke when the truck landed on it; and both tires on the passenger side blew out. That was the physical damage. I’m hoping there’s not much internal damage since I had to power everything down. But then again, I’ve never flipped a truck.
Right now I’m just thankful I appear to have walked away unharmed after my truck rolled over. And that I got to see and become exited about 2 amazing bands. And that my friend Jeff came and picked me up in Miamisburg in that weather. Thank you very much Jeff. And Islands. And Human Reunion. But mostly Jeff.
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