It’s been over a year since Balmorhea played in their hometown of Austin, Texas. Over a year has the fan base been out of touch with one of the most precise post-rock bands currently calling Texas home. Precise and on-point down to the string, or key, or vocal breath that resonated off the stage in cosmic verity. Hats off to the Parish, which continues to deliver on the live sound quality in their upstairs main stage (the Underground sounds great too). Particularly impressive was the fact that Balmorhea’s set up included:
1. acoustic guitar (2)
2. electric guitar (2)
3. upright bass (1)
4. electric bass (1)
5. keyboard (3+)
6. violin (1)
7. cello (1)
8. drumset (6+ piece)
9. various auxiliary percussion
10. vocals (4 microphones)
11. ukelele (1)
12. drum trigger (1)
And obvious congratulations to the members of Balmorhea for managing to navigate a dimly lit stage and find the necessary instruments, oftentimes within the same song. Owing a nod to traditional classical music, their songs sometimes contain movements with particular instrumentations that differ from other movements. Feeling guided yet not scripted, the band at once embodied improvisation and rehearsed precision. Sometimes with furtive looks to another member on stage, the grandiose presentation of the post-folk-chamber-rock seemed intimate, likely attributable to the hiatus the band has taken from playing in Austin and the expected nerves that accompany. Without lyrics, it’s difficult for new listeners like myself to determine a set list, but as an instrumental player myself, I can attest to the somewhat extraneous nature of song titles when lyrics don’t even come into the song’s performance; a song title is kind of beside the point, and without lyrics the music speaks for itself, sewing a seam between the fabrics of natural phenomenon and organized deliberation.
Cinematic descriptors almost always accompany instrumental music and Balmorhea achieved this media-blending effect with grace and reverence as seen from the audience as the six members swayed gently from side to side to the rising tides of the Balmorheaic Sea. Closing his eyes, co-founder Michael Muller can’t seem to bear the aural equivalent of ocean waves crashing along the Pacific Coast in late July as you take a few extra curves along the Pacific Coast Highway. And then they dive away, deep into the hidden pockets in the walls of dried creek beds where the tiniest of natural miracles exist, Muller opens his eyes as Aisha Burns and Dylan Rieck play a melancholy string duet on violin and cello, respectively. The set is an exercise in patience and the rewards that followed.
Before Balmorhea, Jess Williamson took the Parish stage for the first time with a whole band, which like Balmorhea, wrangled intense emotion into downtempo offerings with a few newer tunes that had “Prime New Music” written all over. Drummer and general underground celebrity Andrew Stevens played the drums dynamically and incredibly deep in the pocket with the bassist alongside RF Shannon singer/guitarist, Shane Renfro. The band has shown developments in its tightness and promising new music; I will gladly watch as the group continues to hone its sound and solidify their live performance.
All photographs © Lukas Truckenbrod & Pop Press International; all rights reserved. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
