"Guys, we're touring with Foals. We better get a little heavier." This may or may not have been what Freelance Whales were thinking when they planned their show at Paradise Rock Club. Now, I don't mean they brought in double-bass pedals or brushed up on their metal repertoire; I mean that they added a slight edge to their live show to completely separate it from the "awww"-inducing sets we've seen before to an "awe"-inducing one. It was a welcome change, transforming outros into extended jams, adding a touch more guitar, and layering their harmonies over denser layers. Maybe a crash cymbal replaced a couple of previously employed hi-hats, but it worked.
With two heavy-hitting names on the bill, it was hard to tell which band people were there for. Surely, there may be a crossover fanbase, but had the entire audience been there for Foals, Freelance Whales put up a fan-winning fight. It's nice to see Freelance Whales evolving their material enough to make it a new experience live, ranging from the added verse of "Generator^First Floor" to a new, driving outro to exit the Second Floor.
And then, of course, there's Foals. Nothing new from the last time we saw them (in September), and that is nowhere near a complaint. The only quiet moment may have been a break of chugging, palm muted guitar. When a "quiet" moment is that loud and intense, it pretty much guarantees that the rest of the concert will slay. A cohesive combination of high strung guitars running in musical circles around math-rock drums that are the equivalent of musical calculus drove songs home. Slow burners such as "Spanish Sahara" gave Yannis a chance to show a softer voice as the song built up. Then, that soft side was completely deconstructed as its second half continued to build up to unrivaled levels of loudness, and then kept going. Foals took syncopation, crescendo, and musical force and brought them to new heights.
From the warmth of "Miami," to the rythmic chanting of "The French Open," Foals ranged from bouncy to dirty. Then, from "Spanish Sahara"'s surprising falsetto, to the apeshit floor-tom beating of "Electric Bloom," Foals solidified their position as a band that could totally do the same thing every time I see them, and I would still love it.
I have one complaint, though. Last time Foals played the Paradise, Yannis jumped off the balcony onto the floor. This time he climbed into the lighting booth (see photos 14-16). Kinda cool. I guess.
