Saturday, February 7, 2015

See Gulls, Midnight Plus One, & Daddy Issues - Tir Na Nog (Raleigh, 2/5/15)

WKNC's Local Beer Local Band Thursday Nights has been a mainstay of the Triangle live music scene for a long time (it was my first introduction when I relocated here).  I haven't been in a while, but they've been on a bit of an upswing.  I picked a great night to reconnect.

Thursday was headlined by one of the Triangle's best new-ish bands, See Gulls.  Openers Daddy Issues (from Greensboro) aren't far behind.  While I've seen Gulls a slew o'times, I'd only seen Daddy Issues once, so a sequel was long overdue.  But a good night of local music is never complete unless you get surprised by someone you've never seen before... which, on this night, was Carrboro's Midnight Plus One.

It didn't take Daddy Issues long to make me remember why I liked them so much the first time. Sure, front-woman Lo Davy sings suggestive lyrics in a disarming way; but rock music has always pushed the envelope of what's considered too risque.  What really makes Daddy Issues stand out is that they create sweet, surfy melodies, and then counter-punch with a rhythm section that's... well, that's just damn punk rock (courtesy Madeline Putney on bass and Amethyst White on drums).  Lindsey Sprague provides most of the surf-edge and backing/occasional lead vocals.  Their first EP comes out on, appropriately (maybe inappropriately?), Valentine's Day.  It's on Negative Fun Records, also home of locals GHOSTT BLLONDE.  
Dat rhythm section, doe!
Between the two courses of unquestionably more melodic, poppy (but great) music, Midnight Plus One provided a palate cleanser of sorts.  Correction:  a mutha fuckin' palate cleanser.  Does the water in Carrboro breed weird, impossible-to-categorize bands?  Just wondering.

The show took a dark turn with Midnight Plus One.  Lights went down, a background of flickering flames went up, and this three (!?!) piece stormed the stage.  I still can't believe they only had a guitar and drums, and somewhat of a force of nature in singer Casey Cook.  Closest thing I can compare these guys to is the experimental, angular, hard sound of 1980s Georgia band Pylon... though probably less angular and more... harder.  Go see them.
Then See Gulls, they never fail to please.  Sarah Fuller is becoming very comfortable fronting the Gulls, and relative newbies (to this band, anyway) Duncan Webster and Leah Gibson are now fully fledged.  Like Daddy Issues, See Gulls occasionally veer from the edgy indie-pop interstate onto a '50-'60s dirt road, but they don't spend as much time there.  They definitely have a more ascerbic edge to their sweetness.  Punky, as opposed to punk... does that make sense?

Oh... WHEN'S THE ALBUM COMING OUT, SARAH?!?  Whenever it does, it promises to be good.  It was recorded with the great Mitch Easter at his Fidelitorium Studio (you know, I bet Easter is getting tired of reading about "the great Mitch Easter").
 Inter-band luv:  Daddy Issues soakin' up see Gulls.
Keep an eye out... more photos of this show to come soon on the facebook page here.

1 comment:

  1. Maddie has become my favorite bassist in the Triangle. Every time I see Daddy Issues, I get more and more into it.

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