Concert Review - Wolf Parade in Dallas, 11/16/10

[Guest Review - Europpraiser]

Granada Theatre, Dallas, November 16, 2010

I just checked a big one off the to-do list and had to write about it. The Granada Theatre, located in the hipster heavy Lower Greenville area of Dallas, is one of the best concert halls in town. It’s an old intimate (1,150 Capacity) general admission venue with great sight lines and tiered platforms for the standing patrons. We witnessed the event from the third tier, to the left, about 40 feet from the center stage. I wish more of my favorites played the Granada instead of the Palladium Ballroom, which is a hollowed out warehouse that’s too big for it’s own good. Click below for lots more on Wolf Parade:

Doors opened at 7:00. The wife and I showed around 8:15, just as the opening band Ogre, You Asshole took the stage. If you haven’t heard of Ogre, You Asshole, get in line…right behind me. They’re a young Japanese band (Nagano to be exact) that might be described as a prog-ish grunge group with off-kilter guitar riffs and interesting song structures. They were LOUD, and the skinny young singer had a boyishly high voice as he squealed in his native tongue. Therefore, no lyrical critique is provided. They definitely had more appeal to the younger folk in the crowd. As an old codger, I wasn’t too upset to see them walk off around 9:00. Quite a long set for an opener. The between acts intermission isn’t too dreadful at the Granada. A large screen drops down that fully covers the stage and music videos for upcoming artists are played, providing both visual and audible stimulation while waiting for the headlining act.

For those unfamiliar the Canadian indie darlings, let’s get the preface out of the way. Wolf Parade was formed in the spring of 2003 in Montreal, when Spencer Krug was offered a gig opening for Arcade Fire and had three weeks to form a band. He called up his buddy Dan Boeckner and they put a few songs together with a guitar, keyboards and drum machine in Krug’s apartment. They added drummer Arlen Thompson and had one practice before their first show. The band added Hadji Bakara later in 2003 and then lost him in 2008 to the University of Chicago English PhD Program. Dante DeCaro, former guitarist of Hot Hot Heat, was added to the line-up in 2005. The group operates as a four-piece and have had two lead-singers from day one. Krug and Boeckner, make up the creative force behind the bands unique sound. Both have prolific resumes complete with side projects (Sunset Rubdown & Handsome Furs) and fulltime tour schedules.

Musically, there’s a notable differences between them. Boeckner writes strait
forward post-punk guitar infused rock tunes with catchy riffs and cleverly written lyrics about modern life and the machine eats man world we’ve built. He shares the Radiohead / Muse perspective in that regard. However, his approach is less detached and more visceral. It seems he is writing about his feelings and views of the world and not about the world itself. He delivers his stuff with a tempered aggressiveness that sounds both serious and resolute. Adversely, Spencer Krug creates broad ranging epics that can be larger than life in scope and complexity. His allegorical style takes you to another place with bizarre and outlandish lyrics. His eccentric and dramatic writing style is channeled through an equally distinct and interesting voice. Typically, there’s more diversity in tempo and mood within a Krug song. The two styles have blended well and evolved over past seven years, making each cd more cohesive than the one before. Wolf Parade released their third full length cd Expo 86 on June 29, 2010.


Now, on to the show. At 9:45 the band goes on. The sound is great and fills the space without blowing your ears off. Their style translates nicely to the live show and the venue fit’s the act superbly. Boeckner’s guitar is in full harmony with Krug’s piano/synth. DeCaro and Thompson are holding up their end of the bargain as well. There’s nothing flat about it. The band is into it and so is the crowd.

They start off with Language City, an upbeat Boeckner number with strong melodies.
As in their recorded work, the setlist consists of lead vocal trade-offs. Next was the Spencer Krug offering What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had To Go This Way). Probably my favorite from the new cd.

Before playing In the Direction of the Moon (Krug), Spencer Krug states “We don’t play this one very often”. Obligatory crowd cheering. He retorts “ you might not want to cheer about that”. Self deprecation is always appreciated.

One of the fan favorites from Expo 86 is Yulia (Boeckner), written about a 1960’s Soviet space mission to the moon; chronicled in the documentary movie The Red Stuff. A cosmonaut’s wife realizes she had literally lost her husband in space as the connection ended live on national radio and a string of patriotic Russian hymns just started playing.

California Dreamer (Krug) was written from the perspective of the one left behind by The Mamas and the Papas.

The only surprise, they didn’t play Modern World (Boeckner), a definite favorite.

Here’s the full setlist with cd notations.

Language City - At Mount Zoomer (AMZ)
What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had to Go This Way) - Expo 86
Palm Road - Expo 86
Dears Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts - Apologies to the Queen Mary (AQM)
Ghost Preasure - Expo 86
In the Direction of the Moon - Expo 86
Fine Young Cannibals - AMZ
Cave-O-Sapien - Exp 86
This Heart’s on Fire - AQM
I’ll believe in Anything - AQM
Yulia - Expo 86
California Dreamer - AMZ (Top 5 Live - up there with White Discussion…Seriously)
Encore
You Are a Runner and I am My Father’s Son - AQM
Fancy Claps - AQM
Kissing the Beehive - AMZ (Great Ender - Strong Finish)

On the walk back to the car the Mrs and I agreed that Wolf Parade was the best show we’ve seen in a while. The performance was tight and detailed. The sound was full and dynamic. We left quite satisfied, but still wanting more. Which is always nice. Go see Wolf Parade. You won’t regret it.