I finally finished editing/processing the 160-odd photos I took at the Casbah Tuesday night. Let’s just say that the Twilight Sad’s singer was a very interesting subject, getting intimate with his mic stand at one moment, and then lifting it up in the air the next moment. Head here to see the photos.

Here’s the short review, before I write the official one up for Reviewer Magazine:

• A Northern Chorus – I made an extra-special effort (which involved convincing a few friends to leave dinner ASAP) to get to the Casbah early to catch their set, just based on the strength of their Myspace songs. And we were all glad that I did. In addition to two guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, there was also a celloist and a violinist on stage. And the celloist even pulled out a trumpet for one song. I was really impressed with their songs and the way the vocals were traded off between the two male guitarists and the female celloist. They sort of sounded like a cross between indie pop (think Death Cab for Cutie) and shoegaze, with the extra bonus of a string section.
• The Twilight Sad – They played with the intensity that I expected from listening to both their EP and full-length debut. Shoegazey, with distortion and waves of white noise fuzz being generated in between songs. All coupled with emotionally angsty (but not overdone) lyrics sung in a thick Scottish accent. It was a pity that more people weren’t there to catch them. And it was also a pity that they were finished after only six songs.
• Aerogramme – I didn’t stay long for their set (maybe 1.5 songs’ worth?) – just snapped a few photos and then headed out. I might have enjoyed them more if they weren’t following up two great acts and if I wasn’t already tired. They had a bit heavier guitar sound than the other two bands, and decent vocal melodies, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it was the fact that they took far too long to set up, or the fact that I had an 8:00 journal club the next morning, or that the Casbah was pretty dead at that point. At any rate, my obligation was to review the Twilight Sad show, so I was easily able to justify heading out early.