Watching Fuck Buttons setup, I knew we were in for an intimate set. I positioned myself right up against center stage as the two members of Fuck Buttons - Andrew Hung and Benjamin John - were busily plugged in effects pedals, keyboards, and whatever toys they decided to bring along that night. Finished, they took opposite ends of a long utility table and worked through seemingly one long piece that flowed and crashed from one style to the next – although focusing on noise and distortion-filled beats. Throughout, I could imagine the two of them conceiving their music together in a garage, a pure expression of themselves. The fast paced, in-your-face barrage and the energy rippling through room was fun, but I found the constant beats and melodies (and periodic screaming into the Fisher Price tape recorder) too simple and harsh. I’ll admit it though, I’m not a regular visitor of the experimental electronic genre anyhow (despite a strong liking to Daft Punk – but who doesn’t?).
After the utility table had been removed, dozens of plugs unplugged, and two drum sets set up facing each other, Caribou entered the stage and got right down to business. They knew what we were there for. Opening with a nice instrumental, we were eased into their set, ready for the inevitable high energy songs that were to come. After Fuck Buttons’ jarring set, and the (longer than usual) wait between bands, this transition was just what I needed. I wasn’t fully absorbed in the natural live show high as I would have liked. However, with Caribou’s abundance of intricate, fast, beautifully-executed songs, this didn’t last long. Daniel Snaith, Caribou’s founder and songwriter, alongside his other beat-maven, Brad Weber, seemingly played an entire symphony orchestra of drums. It was incredible to watch the two work and build off each other to create the complex, well-timed beats that were the forefront of most of their songs. Fleshed out by Ryan Smith (keyboards, guitars, melodica, percussion) and Andy Lloyd (bass, vocals), I wasn’t surprised to find—when I turned around—the smiling crowd swinging and dancing along. Caribou finished their set strong, playing “Hello Hammerheads,” a mellower, vocally driven piece right before pouring their hearts out on “A Final Warning.” And though I would have felt 100% satisfied without an encore, the audience demanded, and Caribou delivered. They finished with one of the ending tracks from Up In Flames, which closed with all four members exhausting any energy they had left by wailing on various forms of percussion, their bassist on bells and the guitarist hammering the cymbals of the two drum sets. I felt hypnotized. When it was over, the audience erupted. Snaith stood, smiling, and I was close enough to see the sweat and exhaustion pouring from his face. As they exited the stage for the final time, I thought, that wouldn’t it be great if every band committed to giving every iota of energy and talent they’ve got to their sets – Caribou certainly did.
SETLIST
Sundialing (Andorra)
Brahminy Kite (The Milk of Human Kindness)
Melody Day (Andorra)
Skunks (Up In Flames)
Sandy (Andorra)
After Hours (Andorra)
Crayon/Barnowl (Up In Flames/The Milk of Human Kindness)
She's The One (Andorra)
Bees (The Milk of Human Kindness)
Twins/Eli (Up In Flames/Andorra)
Hello Hammerheads/A Final Warning (The Milk of Human Kindness/ The Milk of Human Kindness)
