My wife and I took advantage of a trip into Boston this past Saturday night for a friend’s 40th birthday party by capping the night’s shenanigans with a late show at the Middle East Downstairs. I’m a casual fan of both Silver Mt. Zion and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the band that shares three SMZ members, and I was curious to see how their unique and unclassifiable music would transfer to a live setting.
Apparently my two years of “suburban” life in Lowell have aged me exponentially. Upon discovering that SMZ wouldn’t hit the stage until 11:30, I was overcome with an uncontrollable sense of disappointment that deflated any sense of enthusiasm I may have had up to that point. Nevertheless, the discovery was early enough in the evening that we planned our stay at the party accordingly, and our calculations were perfect. It was only a few minutes after our decent into the fiery depths of the Mid East basement (literally…I was sweating before I even had my first beer in hand) that SMZ sharpened their bows and unleashed their lengthy compositions on us.
Again, maybe I’m just getting old, but I am of the strong opinion that SMZ’s "chamber" music – whether it’s the soft-to-loud dynamics, the fact that there are four string instruments in the band (a double bass, a cello, and two violins), or the aforementioned lengthy compositions – just isn’t meant to be performed in a cramped, sweaty, night club environment. Having been spoiled by the comfortable, sit-down, environmentally controlled Remis Auditorium at the MFA, I feel that SMZ’s music – as well as those within their genre – should be enjoyed without the obligatory low murmur of bar conversation and clinking bottles inherent in clubs like The Middle East and Great Scott.
Yes, it can be argued that SMZ and Godspeed’s music still hover within the realm of indie rock, but I found myself much too distracted during Saturday night’s performance to appreciate the hushed atmospherics and rising tension that took place for the first 4-5 minutes of each song. Of course this might also have to do with the fact that our perfectly-timed entrance resulted in a spot at the back of the room. Obviously this review is more about the venue choice than the show itself, but the truth is I just couldn’t follow the majority of the show. Between wiping my sweaty forehead, craning my neck to get a glimpse of the band, and tilting my head for a better listen, I was worn out before an hour was up.
A future booking at Remis Auditorium, Somerville Theater, or similar venue could do wonders for bands like Silver Mt. Zion. Obviously it’s personal taste, but in my opinion, music this beautiful deserves to be heard without distraction.
