Show Review: Bear In Heaven @ The Parish (8/29)

Bear In HeavenI anticipated this show not just because Bear In Heaven has never failed to impress, but also because the openers showed so much promise. I was only disappointed in one thing; Austin. Yes you, Austin. Would you please start supporting the openers? Less pre-drink, more music. You paid for that ticket, get your dollar’s worth. Check what time doors are and show up to support the bands and the venues. BiN made two incredibly solid picks for the road this time around in Weeknight and Young Magic and if you missed them, it is your own damn fault. #rant

So there you go. The best show review I have ever done? Maybe.

OK, just a few more notes after the break. …and pics. Lot of them.

I’ll get this out of the way – I loved Weeknight. Sparse, haunting and then full of harmony and melody. Big smiles between songs. They ruled the night for me. “Wreckage” and “Honey” were incredibly strong.

Young Magic is developing. The new material was more mesmerizing versus the older material being more charming. I called my shot with “Something In The Water”. It was so bad ass live. Simple. Elegant. Strong. Angry enough to give chills.

I feel like Bear In Heaven are in a transition; I think they want to be less track and more in the now. Hearing the three bandmates play the songs live, the new record makes much more sense to me. Again, I have to admit my highlight track from the preview, “Autumn”, was my show highlight. Predetermination, perhaps? It fit the formula of the stage, bolstering the perception of a leaner feeling live set. Mr. Philpot’s stage presence is still as charming as ever. The mid-life hits pulled in the most crowd response, “Lovesick Teenagers” was my fave of them. And is that a Literature shirt he is wearing?

Pics.