Show Review: Thrice, O’Brother, La Dispute @ The Masquerade (10/09/11)

There are not many occasions where I feel like a tour’s lineup has been arranged perfectly, but the tour with Thrice, O’Brother, La Dispute, and Moving Mountains is one such tour. I heard they were coming to The Masquerade, so of course I had to go. Sadly, I got there after Moving Mountains were done playing, but just in time to catch La Dispute. The sheer raw emotion that these guys put into their live performance is outstanding. I never really enjoyed La Dispute on the albums that they have put out. To me, they sounded too much like mewithoutYOU. But they completely altered my opinion of themselves as a band with their live performance. The crowd was really into it, song after song, and they delivered flawlessly.

After their set, the moment I had been waiting far too lang for had finally arrived. It had been about a year and a half since I had last seen O’Brother play. Since then, they had been tracking their highly-anticipated album, “Garden Window”, due for digital release on November 15th. I was ecstatic. They played the best set I have ever experienced from them. While playing older tracks like “Ascension”, my mind was taken back to the first time I saw them play. I was fourteen, and it was at the Cox Capitol Theatre in Macon, GA. Also on the playbill that night were All Get Out, Dignan, and Winston Audio. It brought me back to the first show I’d ever seen in Macon. The show that made me want to play music. The way that the five men in O’Brother convey their music on a live stage is remarkable, and this show did not disappoint. Although I could tell most of the crowd wasn’t into what they were hearing and were just waiting for Thrice to play, their set went flawlessly, and was easily the best set of the night.

I cannot begin to explain the nostalgia that came over me as Thrice began their set. The crowd went wild. Everyone was screaming the lyrics. I got hit in the back several times. Grown men were crying. Thrice brought down the house. All I have to say is that you need to pick up their new record, Major/Minor and give it a listen.

This is by far the best tour I have seen in a while, and I would highly recommend you to get your tickets before they sell out in your city. Mark my words, O’Brother is going to hit something huge soon. They’re already everyone’s favorite band.

 

Written by Alec Stanley