The Dismemberment Plan, Engine Down & The North Magnetic

(I would like to preface this article by stating I wasn't originally planning on writing this review. There's a certain attention to detail that kicks in when I'm on the job, and when I'm simply there to enjoy a concert, like the rest of the hundred or so spectators, I might not take into account certain aspects that would otherwise be noted. I might also drink more heavily in said situation. Also, I would arrive on time and watch the whole show intently if my intentions were to critique the concert. That being said…)
Starting off the evening was Chico's own veritable indie rock heroes, The North Magnetic. Performing as a quartet this evening (the multi-faceted Trevor Sellers happened to be on tour with his other outfit, NumberOneGun), the group once again lived up to my lofty expectations. The art of indie rock shoegazing, wild guitar swinging and sandpaper vocal caresses were well-displayed, and once again, the rhythm section of Nystrom and Deitz was excellent. It was great to actually hear Dan Greenfield's and Kelly Bauman's vocals, as The Brick Work's mighty P.A. system rose above the group's instrumental volume. This is definitely a band to catch. It's too bad I missed half of their set.
It's also too bad that I missed Engine Down's entire set. Unfortunately for them, The Brick Works had shut down the balcony drinking area, forcing boozehounds like myself down into the basement atmosphere of the University Bar. There, mingling with cred-seekers and hipsters, photographers, music merchants and band members, I enjoyed fine beverages, shot the shit and completely lost track of time. My apologies to Engine Down. (I later heard from several less alcohol-minded music enthusiasts that Engine Down rocked like motherfuckers, pulling the audience into a world of complete emo goodness.)
Once I came to my senses and realized that there was still music playing, I ascended the stairs to find the Dismemberment Plan rocking through "A Life of Possibilities" from Emergency & I. Singer Travis Morrison was quite chatty through their set, impersonating his mother in a high whiney voice and giving special thanks to those who drove up from San Francisco to attend the concert. He said because of those die-hard Dis Plan fiends, the group tried not to repeat songs from the SF gig the night before. Most of the tunes were super tight, played with angled precision and full commitment. Their funk rhythms, expansive guitar chords and jitter-quick melodic lines perfectly conjoined under their spastic and spunky stage presence. Morrison and bassist Eric Axelson's swaying bodily motions were a flashback to the '80s, where people weren't afraid to dance like freaks. As expected, the crowd was hyped, performing all manners of indie anti-dancing (myself included). The only aspects that broke the suspension of disbelief were the occasional fill rushes and tempo speed-ups courtesy of drummer Joe Easley. I appreciate the band for calling attention to and then foregoing the superfluous nature of a Tuesday night encore. Yes, we didn't need to have them walk offstage and stare at their shoes while we clapped, just for them to get back on and play a few more songs. They closed with "Time Bomb," "Memory Machine" and a short rendition of the song that closes all of their shows. There was also a brief Yeti sighting.
- Maurice S. Teilmann
- Photos by Matt Beier

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