The Thing (Part II) or Why Late Is Better Than Never

At this point I am writing this in an effort to clear my pallet for future posts.  As you may have noticed I have been absent from TimbreLeaf in the last couple of months.  I'll explain more about that later...for now please enjoy the startling conclusion of The Thing In The Spring...

One of the best shows at this year's Thing was held Saturday Mat 14th at Harlow's Pub: a wonderful place to be for great food and great taps.  Harlow's often hosts blues and rock bands, and sometimes the occasional foray into reggae or even things as cool as Balkan/Klesmer/Gypsy/Bellydancing (The Underscore Orkestra which appeared just last Friday).  These performances by Coke Weed and Mmoss were ones I just couldn't miss.  Rosie and I procured the perfect small pub table in the center of house surrounded by the eclectic barrage of quirky beer signs, obscure personalities, adverts, and other art adorning the walls and ceiling of the establishment.  With a beer already in my stomach Coke Weed took the stage to fill our ears with their throwback blend of chill, reverb soaked ditties.  With both male and female vocals, often in duet form, Coke Weed's songs are melodically strong and rich with mellow but fun textures.  Named after perhaps both the most famous upper and downer, the band energizes your spirit to dance...but in a stoned, shoe-gazing sway.  Like and unlike a darker, psychy She & Him, Coke Weed, rather, are inspired, thoughtful, and a pleasure to experience live and on record (sorry Zooey, I do love you very much, but it's the truth).  I hope Coke Weed are not displeased with the comparison...or more truthfully the contrast as it is.
"Not My Old Man" by Coke Weed (Uploaded by The Walkmen)
 
Mmoss are no strangers to the TimbreLeaf blog.  I've been greatly enjoying their vinyl release of i quite a bit in recent months.  Their last performance at the Toadstool was a short one; for The Thing they played a complete and masterful set.  I will'n't belabor this...Mmoss are a mind-blowing phenomenal paradox of a band.  Born out of their era, they create the perfect music of a by-gone day with such impeccable skill and natural talent you just cannot not like them.  Lush organ chords waver in and out between telecaster secret agent alchemistry and catchy vocal melodies...think a psychedelic rock & roll super group from 1968.  Mmoss did not disappoint at Harlow's, in fact this may have been my favorite performance from 2011's Thing.
Another Dream by Mmoss 

Sunday saw the last show of the festival return to the Peterborough Historic Society for Goddard, Giraffes? Giraffes!, and Kayo Dot.  Goddard, a three-piece from Worcester Massachusetts, brought me right back to my junior high school days.  With a dress code, attitude, and stage presence straight from 1994 - in a really great way; I can imagine them having opened for Tool or Henry Rollins back in the 90's.  This post is actually well timed as Goddard have just released a new record, Bishop, which is available on their BandCamp page...and it is fantastic.  Their music has just the right parts grunge, groove, and grit; each third of the guitar-bass-percussion triad complements its opposite and adjacent quite naturally.  Hear for yourself...

Giraffes? Giraffes! are apparently the hot ticket item.  The duo from western Mass have accumulated quite a healthy following, even in far-from-home regions.  Though G?G!'s two members have been involved in various solo and other musical projects and styles, their set was comprised of their latest spastic, tumbling instrumentals.  Aided by phrase looping effects and synthesizer they constructed and demolished riffs and structures throughout each piece, layering subtleties and bridges to connect the dots.  Outside of the Harlow's show The Thing crowd was most densely populated and animated during this set - my socks were indeed rocked clean off.  Recently G?G! rather successfully persued funding for their new record via Kickstarter.  Hopefully we can expect it out soon?  Try this on from their last record, More Skin With Milk-Mouth, which can be purchased here....
"When The Catholic Girls..." by Giraffes? Giraffes! (Uploaded by amystafford)

Kayo Dot (Maudlin Of The Well in a previous, more metal life) is a large group from New York consisting of horns, guitars, percussion, bass, and vocals.  They were last up and the crowd thinned out considerably.  I get it...Kayo Dot are not conventional by any means and while I enjoy the band quite a bit, their live performance at The Thing could have been better.  In contrast to the last time I saw them they opted to focus on their more ambient cuts - horns droning, bass chiming natural harmonics, and somber drawn out vocals.  Folllowing G?G!'s set this felt just a tad flat energy-wise.  The highlight was their finale - cresendoing and instense, it ended with pots-and-pans calamity eventually and reluctantly giving way to a meditative silence and peace...this is what makes Kayo Dot great.

This year's Thing was more formal and put-together than last year; everything about it was stepped up a notch.  I am very impressed with the talent and names that were brought to a small place, but I personally enjoyed last year's Thing more.  This is probably primarily due to my personal experience; last year nearly everything I heard was new to me and that was something that I enjoyed immensely.  There also seemed to be more experimental performances and collaborations which were not only very interesting, but also something you couldn't see anywhere else.  I am hoping for a more mixed experience next year - some big names, and perhaps some local one-off collaborations.  My suggestion....a 48 hour local music mashup - combine willing members of several local bands to write songs 48 hours before the festival and then perform at the The Thing alongside the bigger names and established acts.  This would be very cool.

With all that said I am beyond amazed and impressed with Mr. Gagne and the rest of The Thing's crew.  From the average attendee's perspective it may not seem like the tremendous amount of work that it is.  I feel indebted to those who put this festival together.  It's one of the big events of the year that I look forward to with great excitement and I hope the tradition carries on for a long time to come.  Thank you to everyone who was involved and to all the musicians and artists who contributed.  You are all what makes Peterbough, NH a great place to be.

*Broke: The Affordable Arts Fair is coming back this November 26th and I strongly recommend checking it out if you are anywhere near the Monadnock area.  Cheers!