The Human Eyes / T0W3RS / thefacesblur (Nightlight, 1/24/14)

Great show at Nightlight the other night (they've had quite a few great shows lately).  Since this blog's been asleep for awhile, let's start with impressions...

The Human Eyes make leaps and bounds fleshing out their 80s-heavy pop...
T0W3RS slowly (but surely) perfects their solo (but bigger than a full-band sounding) vibe... thefacesblur carefully stakes out a claim in our growing dance-pop-indie scene...
incidental smoke and mirrors...
soundz by D. Starport...
etc

Adam Graetz has put on some incredible backing graphics for live shows by T0W3RS, Lilac Shadows, and others around the Triangle for some time.  As thefacesblur, it's impressive that he can do the same thing while playing music.  Cool, mellow, dancey, electronic music with a slight international vibe.  Great overall début.

thefacesblur (no pun intended)...

Artist Barbara Barnes (Art Images Live) sketching thefacesblur...

T0W3RS is now solidly progressing as a solo act.  But with the energy and songwriting Derek Torres brings to the stage, I don't know if there's room for anyone else up there anymore.  Few local artists can hold a room rapt as well as T0W3RS (and still make them dance).  I once said that walking around taking photos in my hometown New Orleans is, for a photographer, like cheating.  Shooting Derek onstage is like that, too.  But doing so with a cool lightshow is downright criminal.  Can't wait to hear the record he's finishing up.

T0W3RS...

The Human Eyes are really coming into their own.  Thomas Costello's synth-laden pop-rock is still referenced to New Order, et al, for sure.  But he's bringing a live performance that's thicker with guitar-jangles, and tangles... probably not unlike a lot of bands back then if you were lucky enough to have seen them live.  A breezy, bitterwseet, rolling twang also underscores the electric edge of some numbers, like Another World, Let Me In, and Alex.

The Human Eyes...

T0W3RS play on a bill with The Love Language, GHOSTTE BLLONDE, and Hammer No More the Fingers at Cat's Cradle Friday, February 7, for WKNC's Double Barrell Benefit 11.  Soon after, the Human Eyes open for Merge artists Hospitality at the excellent new Cradle Back Room (Saturday, February 22).  Both promise to be great shows.