Photo by Madeline Harvey.
Thursday night at Holy Mountain was a night of paradoxes. Playful yet aggressive, bizarre yet familiar. As I type this, listening to Daniel Franics Doyle’s solo 7-inch vinyl, I find myself at somewhat of a loss to formulate sentences and articulate in a way which will accurately convey all I was immersed in. If anything, I’d like to praise Holy Mountain as a venue. Not to generalize, but I feel that a good amount of concert-goers only express their feelings for the bands they saw and not the setting in which they were seen. I am a big “atmosphere” person, and as this was my first time at Holy Mountain, I have to say that they’ve got it goin’ on. It’s intimate but not necessarily cozy, and the acoustics are stellar. There were also a few vendors out, selling vintage clothing and natural mineral jewelry. Holy Mountain represents the crowd they attract, and I adore that.
Photo by Madeline Harvey.
The Eternal Dyad Dance Crew opened up the show with a provocative and politically-influenced performance that seemed to both amuse and confuse the audience. Just another paradox from the night. I cannot be 100% sure what all was going on either on stage or in the minds of the dancers, but I am sure that I have never seen anything quite like it. Despite the chaotically fun music and humorous repetitions of the infamous “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” quote, there was an air of seriousness around the whole act that made me think there might be something deeper these two twerking Clinton-mask-clad dancers are aiming for.
Photo by Madeline Harvey.
Up next was Daniel Francis Doyle & The Dreams. After watching these guys live, I can say that they are living up to their name. Every member of this three-piece band was indeed there, but they all felt absent, removed in a way that was spiritual and raw, as if their music was being channeled from someplace else. With every note they entranced the audience, bringing us all in with them. However, The Night of Paradoxes must prevail. Though, yes, they do seem very dream-y, they are still so grounded. Watching Daniel Francis Doyle & The Dreams somehow also felt just like watching humans up on a stage, humans not so far gone that they cannot be reached. The music they produce is deconstructed and borderline unsettling, but only in the best of ways.
Photo by Madeline Harvey.
Bill Big brought an energy and character to the show that I haven’t seen in ages. I was almost taken aback by the crowd’s reaction to the music: moshing. Their playful lyrics such as, “Who put Dave in the microwave?” and “My uncle was a monkey” aren’t really what I would associate with the typical mosh pit. Honestly, if I were to read Big Bill’s lyrics without listening to the songs themselves, I would think Big Bill was some sort of strange, alternative children’s band more than anything. However, Big Bill puts out powerfully aggressive beats and rhythms that all but force you to dance. The paradox, once again, between those two elements are a huge appeal for the band, and the audience becomes lost in all the weirdness and confusion. I cannot fail to mention the set they brought on: streamers resembling toilet paper hanging from the ceiling with various cut-out cardboard figures like stars and skulls, and a giant curtain-like sheet serving as wrinkled and twisted screen to project fun footage. Big Bill allows their audience members to feel childish and whimsical without depriving them of actual musical talent. In a perfect representation of this, their guitarist played the entire show in a dress from the vintage clothes rack on site. If you get to see the irresistible Big Bill play anytime soon, I would make sure to give your inner child a pair of knee pads first, in preparation for a great times and dance moves.
Photo by Madeline Harvey.
Closing out this wonderfully esoteric night on a stage of Christmas lights was Mirror Travel. Now I know their band is one-third dude, but as a woman, I felt so incredibly inspired by all the girl power happening here. Their lyrics don’t revolve around feministic philosophies or anything of the sort, but the presence that Lauren Green (vocals/guitar) and Tiffanie Lanmon (drums) hold is momentous. Mirror Travel’s music is dense and hazy, with a level of mystery to it all. Imagine Blondie stripped of any sense of poppiness, dipped in grunge, and swaddled in psych rock, and you’ll get Mirror Travel. Their setlist was chockfull of the hits from their only album to date, Mexico, which was recorded in Marfa, TX – something that I might go as far as to say helped add to their mesmerizing allure. A beautiful thing to both watch and hear, Mirror Travel was the icing on the cake of my paradoxical night.
Truthfully one of the most lively nights I’ve had in a while, Big Bill’s tour kickoff goes down as a success in my book. I wish Big Bill and company a great, happy tour, and hope that you can catch them and any of these other great acts sooner than later.
All photos © Madeline Harvey and Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
