Oh Oakland, You Grown On Me

As any slightly dedicated reader of my blog knows (I like to pretend there’s a few of you), the Fox Theater in Oakland is my favorite place to catch a show. I’m probably there at least once a month (although I aim for less than once a week). Two Fridays ago I was there for the second night of Alt-J, an English indie rock quartet. According to their Wikipedia page, they formed in 2007 but didn't release their debut album until 2012. The first few years was just them jamming in their college dorm. Interesting fact: The band's unusual sound stems from the fact that due to living in student halls, noise had to be kept to a minimum and so they were unable to use bass guitars or bass drums. They were then signed to a label in 2011. The band is actually one of the more interesting ones I've read about. There’s a clear adoration of triangles, with two different ways to decipher their name and on the album cover. I actually spent a while at the merch table trying to find secret triangles in one of their concert shirts. At the show we got tickets a little late in the game and ended up in the balcony, which I’m not a huge fan of but is sometimes okay for a more chill show. I’m actually glad we were up there for this show, as they had one of the most beautiful lighting/special effects shows I've ever seen. They used the fog to create geometric shapes in the fog. The majority of the show was back lit  as these are not egocentric guys, which gave it a dramatic effect. The colors and lights changed every song and were very reflective of the mood/beat of each song. They only have one album, so it was a short show but they played every song. They have a very apparent zealous fan following, as most of the audience knew every single song. They didn't even sing the chorus of “Matilda,” as the crowd more than carried it. And who could resist a song that references “Where the Wild Things Are” (found in Breezeblocks)? The only negative thing I have to say is that I really wasn't as fan of their opener, Canadian band Royal Canoe. To me they sounded like an unpolished garage band but in the restroom I overheard two girls raving about them, so to each their own.

Last Friday I was back at the Fox for Big Gigantic, a two man group from Boulder, CO. If you ever go to the Fox on the first Friday of the month, take a stroll down Telegraph and check out the art murmur, First Friday. We went to dinner at Mua Lounge beforehand, which is my new favorite Oakland food spot (review to follow). The Big Gigantic show was interesting. Definitely a fun group to dance to. Feeling that “electronica” is a label that does not fairly cover their sound, I looked them up on Wikipedia too. They are described as an “instrumental livetronica, hip-hop and jazz musical group.” The best way I can paint a picture is imagine Justice but then take the electronica down a notch and add in a killer saxophone. Seriously, the guy who played the saxophone absolutely killed it. The light show was pretty stellar and almost felt like being at a Pretty Lights show. I don’t think I could sit around listening to their music but the live show is a lot of fun so if they come through your town or are playing at a festival, go check them out. Very high energy and an entertaining crowd.