Nada Surf comes across as a thoughtful, energetic band with a subtly commanding stage presence. Which is strange if you only know Nada Surf from "Popular," which was ironically popular as it sounds nothing like anything else they've ever written. They opened their set at the Paradise with "Weightless" from 2008's Lucky. It's no slow lead-in, bursting with energy. From there the songs leapt back and forth from their large catalog, and even from a new album If I Had a Hi-Fi. Hi-Fi won't be released for a few months, but can be purchased at any of Nada Surf's live shows. The new disc is surprisingly a cover album, working through an array of influences from Spoon to The Moody Blues. After hearing a lot of good covers previously from Nada Surf, such as "Wave of Mutilation" on a Pixies tribute album and "All You Need is Love" in a credit card commercial, I was excited to hear their latest selections. Two live stand-outs were Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" and The Go-Betweens' "Love Goes On."
Beyond their interpretations of other bands' songs, their show at the Paradise showed just how tight they are as musicians. Live, Nada Surf builds from solid, driving guitars and Matthew Caws' fleeting lyrics. These perfectly blend with Daniel Lorca's multicolored dreads flailing to each bass line and Ira Elliot's drum kit pumping out each measure. But what was notable is the earnest interaction with the audience; Caws changed guitars between almost every song, telling stories about their previous visits to Boston. At the end of their set they played "See These Bones," introduced with a tale from Rome, where a crypt of a few hundred bodies were set up as an installation. Written before one of the bodies were the words "what we are now, you were once/and just like we are, permanent," which forms the song's melodic chorus. It was a nice moment of concert annotation, and the audience appreciated the tangent.
The show ended with "Do It Again," "Always Love," and "Blankest Year." My only wish was to see them play more from Lucky. I guess it would be asking for too much as I am sure they tire of playing "Beautiful Beat" and "Are You Lightening?" After hearing the beautiful "Blonde On Blonde" towards the end of their set, I was hoping for them to play "Fruit Fly" from Let Go. I guess after listening to a band throughout their long career, seeing them play two-plus hours still wasn't enough. Thumbs up.
Opening for Nada Surf was the always charming Dawn Landes, whom we first started crushing on when she hit New York a few months ago. She continues to tour in the States through May. Don't miss a chance to see her.
