via//chicago

np: "gimme some salt" - clap your hands say yeah

Maybe the key to having great concert experiences is to head into them with low or no expectations at all, those times seem to be when a band will really surprise you and blow you off your feet. This was definitely the case with both of the bands I caught at Schuba's this past Friday night, the much hyped Pitchfork darlings Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and a horribly underrated band that is quickly becoming one of my favorites, The National.
Apparently this was one of the weekend's hotter tickets if the number of ticketless scavengers outside the venue was any indication, with some of the hopeful offering well over face value for a shot to get inside to see Clap Your Hands. As the 10:30 start time came and went, the back area of Schuba's steadily filled up and the anticipation grew. Finally, about 10 minutes before 11, Clap Your Hands took the stage and launched into the first song of a great set. Most of the show was dominated by songs from the self-released debut album, but there were a couple of new tunes in the first part of the set. Translated to the stage, the songs took on more of an immediate edge as the admittedly sometimes grating vocals were pushed lower in the mix and the rest of the band more than ably stepped it up. All five guys on stage, especially the hyped up keyboard/tambourine/extra guitar player, were really feeding off the crowd's energy and put it back into the music. The whole room bounced along to everything, with the biggest crowd reactions coming from "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" and "Gimme Some Salt". I wasn't sure what to expect going in to this show, but I admit to being pleasantly surprised. The album versions of the songs really don't do these guys justice, hearing them live reveals a lot more energy than one would expect. Overall it was a very solid set and I'm positive in saying that the band left Chicago with a few more fans on the bandwagon.
After the set I had a chance to talk to lead singer Alec Ounsworth and guitarist Lee Sargent, both of whom were really down to earth guys who didn't seem to be letting all the hype go to thier heads. Alec also mentioned that the band was hoping to hit the studio in January to get some new material recorded, so keep an eye out for that sometime next year.
As good as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were the night belonged to The National without a doubt, and everyone who left before they took the stage missed one of the best hours of live music I've seen all year. From the moment the band took the stage they owned it and every single member of the audience. The set ranged from subdued and hypnotizing to raging and cathartic as they tore through a set made up mostly of songs from this year's excellent Alligator. Frontman Matt Berninger nervously prowled the stage, drawing every ounce of emotion out of the songs and pouring them out into the night. The rest of the band met, and sometimes exceeded, Matt's energy output - most notably the violinist who shredded his instrument like Eddie Van Halen in the early years. Highpoints like "Abel" and "Mr. November" brought the crowd to a fever pitch that was brought down expertly with a subdued encore that showcased this band's dynamic range. Between Alligator and this live show, The National is rapidly becoming one of my favorite bands of 2005.