Delphic w/The Hundred In The Hands - 2010-10-21 - 330 Ritch St. SF

James Cook, a young Jez Kerr?  Sorry, couldn't resist.

Delphic
2010-10-21
330 Ritch St (Popscene)
San Francisco CA

Multi-source audience blend taken from following sources:

#1: Sonic Studios DSM-6  > Edirol R-09HR (tomzero)

#2: Sonic Studios DSM-6L > Sony PCM-M10 (thehappyone)

Tracklist

intro / Clarion Call / Doubt / Red Lights / This Momentary / 
Halcyon / Counterpoint Acolyte


Total: 42:59

Delphic have been described as the next Great White Hope of Manchester[tm], fusing rock and dance elements into a juggernaut of sound.  No need for me to remind the reader who else from Salford had managed that feat, especially as their place of origin seemed to be something every review of the group goes to battle over (and I just realized this one is no exception) which must be awfully tiring for the band to deal with, since who honestly *hasn't* been influenced by "Retro When"...read that backwards very slowly.  I'll spare you the Pitchfork review.  In fact, I really didn't listen to them closely, much less "get" them until I watched the video to 'Counterpoint' while listening back in on my live recording earlier today.  That, with 'Acolyte' then hit me...absolutely MASSIVE tracks justifying all the accolades and 'album of 2010' mentions.

With that, I do have to concede that 'Clarion Call' (their opening song) is a bit too Doves-y...but thankfully the electronic elements and playfulness hearken back to their Sub Sub incarnation...if you're going to play the comparison game, at least pick a more accurate basis for comparison.  Or better yet, do as I haven't and just forget...and enjoy intelligent people's craft while you have a fun night out...or if you missed it, you can listen in...

The openers after the jump...

THITH: Indie-dance guitar heroics

The Hundred In The Hands

2010-10-21
330 Ritch St (Popscene)
San Francisco CA

Multi-source audience blend taken from following sources:

#1: Sonic Studios DSM-6  > Edirol R-09HR (tomzero)
#2: Sonic Studios DSM-6L > Sony PCM-M10 (thehappyone)

Tracklist

Dressed In Dresden / Last City / Sleepwalkers Pigeons / Lovesick (Once Again) / Ghosts
Young Aren't Young / Commotion

Total: 42:20

Wow, these guys were good.  Jason Friedman makes one of the most unlikely guitar heroes of our modern age, as during 'Commotion', he was standing over the front lip of the stage, shredding away on his cream-colored Rickenbacker (if that's even possible to imagine)...turns out like most of these "new" bands, most of the protagonists have some history and have been at it for years and years playing and playing...so it's great to see when they finally catch some buzz, and get people to sit up and pay attention. 

Their entire set was one giant swoon, quickly capturing the interest and adulation of the crowd.  Highlights for me include the intro, Dressed In Dresden...my recording comes in a bit late, so the first few seconds of the song are just from tomzero's recording...and the gorgeous 'Sleepwalkers'.  Elinore was singing into a handheld mic (seen above) that were treating her operatic vocals through shimmering reverb and other assorted FX, as well as handling keyboards, while Jason played his Rick and twiddled with the beats.  I seemed to have a lot less angst about THITH were supposed to sound like, since I hadn't even heard of them before getting to watch them perform.  And now that I have, I wish everybody gets a chance to see them too.  Or at least hear them.