Show Review: Cloud Nothings @ Red 7 (2/25)

Amid all the hype and recent accolades, Cloud Nothings breezed into town, only to be pushed outside by the Sony Vita Lounge.  The redesigned Red 7 definitely provided an awkward pre-show ambiance, but as we would soon find out, nothing was going to stop Cloud Nothings. 

Our evening began with the decade old Midgetmen, still doing their thing on the stage after all this time.  They sounded tight, and as always brought a good solid amount of noise with them–not to mention a chaired fifth member.  Vocals probably could have sounded better, but that seemed to be par for the course on this evening, as sound didn’t seem to get things figured out until midway through A Classic Education. Still, these Austin dudes were more than a sufficient opener on the cold evening, steering our thoughts towards rock n’ roll, and away from plush leather chairs and video games.

It’s really weird listening to A Classic Education, our second act of the night.  Their warm sounds definitely don’t bring to mind the group’s home, Italy, but perhaps that works in their favor, as they do an amazing job fitting into the current US musical landscape.  Over at Red 7, they devoted the majority of the evening to Call It Blazing, their most recent release.  They gave us wonderful hits such as “Baby, It’s Fine” and “Spin Me Round,” all which displayed a group full of talent and hits.  And, you’ve got to give it up to the band, who moved about the stage from the minute their set started; it wasn’t the frenetic show we’d get later, but it’s always a blast to watch a band who you can tell enjoys playing to an enthusiastic audience.  Our friend Toby over at Finest Kiss says they recall “the genius of the Chills and the Shins,” so if that’s not enough of a reason to check out the band, then hopefully my words sufficed.

By this point in the night, the remnants of the Sony Vita Lounge were already fading, but as Cloud Nothings took the stage, we had little idea that they would erase every thought, destroying our ears and winning our hearts.  They opened with “Stay Useless,” devoting the majority of their set to the recent  Attack on Memory, which only grows in strength with more listens.  From there, they pretty much ran the gamut, giving us every jam from the record, even the instrumental “Seperation.” The only time they strayed from the formula is when they kindly devoted “Forget You All the Time” to an excited engaged couple standing next to us at the front of the stage–congrats you two!

At this point, you get the gist of the show, including songs and what not, but I don’t think any words can really do justice to the incredible barrage Cloud Nothings brought to town.  Clearly, singer Dylan can write great tunes, as he’s been doing it for over three years now, growing with each release.  But, live, dear lord, they’ve become a different beast entirely.  Dylan focuses his humble attention on the lyrics and audience, the rest of the band just kills it.  Jayson G, the drummer, is at this point rivaled by none.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen so much noise come from such a simple drum kit–it’s even hard at times to take your eyes off him (he also gets extra credit for wearing a Q and Not U shirt). And then there’s TJ and Joe, the other members, alternating between keeping rhythm and providing ear-blasting noise.  Right now, this band can’t do anything wrong–a show like that should prove ay doubters that Cloud Nothings are a legitimate contender for best little band in the world.  There’s not enough praise you can give these dudes. Probably won’t see a better show the rest of the year.

As always, more pics at B’s photo site…