Death From Above 1979 was resurrected with drummer/singer
Sebastien Grainger's new band, Sebastien Grainger et les Montagnes.
But instead of a duo, Grainger's new band is full throttle:
he takes the lead with a guitar instead of hiding in the back
with drums; he's added a bassist and a keyboardist who doubles
as tambourine player. It's got all the makings of a rock band.
The show started strong and ended even stronger. Right away
the band threw out the beats. Every song, such as "I'm All
Rage," was upbeat and got everyone dancing. The band gave
off tons of energy, even dancing along with the audience to
each song. They work well together and it showed, each member
completely in sync with the others but with his own rhythm
at the same time.
The songs each had their own feel and didn't leave me feeling
like they were all the same. The tambourine was used sparingly
enough that it didn't get overwhelming. At times it was difficult
to hear Grainger singing but it seemed to be a technical problem.
Second to last, the band played the single "American Names."
The song has a nice hard-core beat and is catchy enough to
get radio play, however, the last song took the cake. Nearing
the end, Grainger became entranced in the music and ended
up, microphone in hand, singing on the stage floor. He moved
his guitar as though he was ready to smash it to pieces. It
was very entertaining to watch. At the end, he dropped his
guitar on the stage and walked into the shadows of the stage,
making a dramatic exit from a dramatic set.
- by Jennifer
Kentfield -
