The Dodos
“What kind of sound would a Dodo make anyway?” I mused whilst standing in the pit at Lee’s Palace, listening to some interesting renditions of bird-song from a couple in front of me. While most of us—natural historians aside—will never be able to fully imagine the call of that extinct flightless bird that is The Dodos’ namesake, it’s shows like Saturday night that confirm what is so consistently good about The Dodos’ sound.
Although it is often tempting to skip show openers in favour of grabbing a bite to eat or exploring record stores nearby, my ears are almost always rewarded for being at shows on time. And The Ruby Suns were no exception to this rule. Hailing from New Zealand, this group of Kiwis charmed the audience with their groovy baselines and innovative percussion. At times there were 4 or 5 people rapping on something or other, building infectious ocean-inspired melodies that made feet tap and hips sway almost involuntarily. Having, for some reason, previously associated the name Ruby Suns with softer, twee melodies, this upbeat performance was a welcome surprise. From bantering about their relationship with Australia to paying homage to the largest kauri tree in New Zealand (Tāne Mahuta), the Ruby Suns whole-heartedly succeeded in warming up the night for the anticipated headliner. The audience unfortunately weren’t as into the band’s set as they’d hope (they assured the audience several times that it was okay to dance along but no one followed…except for The Singing Lamb and I) but the odd person would be twice as enthusiastic, sufficing for those who were too shy. Oh and Amee, I love your tiger shirt.
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/therubysuns
Feeling a bit restless from the espressos that were dancing in my bloodstream caused a move from the periphery (which is, because of the layout of Lee’s, still a good place to be) to the pit as the place filled up. San Francisco, percussion-heavy indie-rockers The Dodos played an energetic set to an appreciative crowd made up of people who were already obvious fans of their music. Joined by newly added third member Keaton Snyder on vibraphones, the band’s sound was definitely fuller and believe it or not, more energetic than before. Drawing heavily from their newest release, Time to Die, the band played renditions of “Troll Nacht” and single, “Fables” that were true to the recording. The former made for a truly unique moment of the night, where all the lights in the venue were turned off and all three members donned colourful lights, attached to their hands, bringing focus to just that as they played the song. Being a fan of their slightly older material, it was really good to hear tracks like “Red and Purple” to finish off the encore. A consistent, pleasing performance is what The Dodos delivered…enough to keep all toes tapping, regardless of the amount of caffeine consumed beforehand.
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thedodos
