Form shameless pot smokers, Dallas’s Legsweeper brought a lot of energy to Sunday’s main stage. Although, they still had their moments, such as when guitarist Justin Gomez confessed aloud, “Oh man, I played a whole song wrong earlier.” Legsweeper also brought a refreshing dose of levity, vital in an industry that runs so much on the fuel of brooding. Their self-authored profile on the 35 Denton website states it most eloquently, proudly announcing, “Nothing we do is slow or profound. Our shows strive to be a sweaty, energetic, to the point, beer driven train wreck. Be loud, be real, get big, don’t die.”
I am still somewhat stunned at having seen The Raincoats and unsure whether anyone else realized the gravity of having a band from indie rock’s Matristic Era. It’s like having Augustine show up to preach at a Dallas megachurch or Isaac Newton guest-lecture your calculus class. If you think the hyperbole’s unwarranted, go listen to “No One’s Little Girl” and tell me what sounds like that today. Even if you find something marginally related, there’s a good chance you could trace it back to something the Raincoats did. Having the Raincoats condescend to 35 Denton is a gift and, if that wasn’t enough, to be completely gracious about it as well. On 35 Denton’s second main stage, The Raincoats showed plenty of energy for women who should be in their 50s. When Ana Da Silva’s guitar strap broke, she responded with good humor aplomb, propping the instrument on her knee as they finished out the song. When a young stagehand fixed it for her, she remarked over the loudspeaker, “He found another hole.” Bandmate Gina Birch didn’t miss a beat, saying, “He must be good with his hands.”
Predictably, Built to Spill were moved into the headlining slot in place of The Jesus and Mary Chain and that’s as it should be. In the green room before the show, bassist Brett Nelson seemed indifferent to the fact that his band had suddenly grabbed the spotlight. “I think I’d rather see the Jesus and Mary Chain,” he responds when asked what he thought about the shift. “That’s what I was looking forward to.” Drummer Scott Plouf, who discovered the news on the internet, said that actually no one had officially informed the band they’d be playing for twice as long. “As far as we know, we’re still playing 45 minutes,” Plouf said.
If ever there was a band prepared to handle a double-set on the fly, it is Built To Spill. The band is known for extended and improvised jams, a reality that receives mixed response. I personally can’t see the objection. On stage at 35 Denton, Built To Spill stretched every song to beautiful effect, drawing from material as early as 1994’s celebrated release There’s Nothing Wrong With Love. Notoriously subdued in his stage manner, Doug Martsch rarely got out more than a deadpan “thank you” between opuses. Built To Spill’s command of audiences is entirely rooted in the musical hypnosis their jams generate. Professional, expansive and able to create an extra 45 minutes on the fly, Built To Spill showed their mettle Sunday night and proved their headline caliber.
Photo: The Raincoats (Credit: Sara Kerens)
