Explosions in the Sky @ The Pabst, Sunday, March 31

Posted on April 1, 2008 by

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The fact that Sunday’s Explosions in the Sky show was sold out surprised me, but it shouldn’t have. The Austin-based band, after all, plays the kind of music that everyone describes as ‘epic’ and ‘mind-blowing.’ Obviously, most Milwaukeeans can get into that, as evidenced by the glowstick wielders in attendance, and the conversation of the group sitting beside me in the balcony.

Girl amongst friends: “This is the best social setting, ever.”

Girl’s friend, behind her: “Ohh, those lights! Ohh, that guitar! Aaaah, that drumroll!”

It was definitely much more psychedelic than the last time I saw them. And how does their music translate live? The quartet does a great job of parlaying intense emotion through their music, but “without all the unnecessary noodling found in a lot of the music on the jam band scene,” as MKE’s editorial assistant Adam Lovinus, who was also at the show, said. EITS’ performance “felt like the next direction in psychedelic music…just pure, visceral tension and release.”

I sort of felt that the audience was expecting nothing less than an epiphany from the show. While it was sonically stupendous, it didn’t change my life or anything. But I agree with the girl sitting beside me: there is nothing more spectacular than listening to great music with fans who are equally as into it as you are. So, yeah, it was the best social setting for me as well.

Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky

Explosions in the sky
Explosions in the Sky