There has to be a point where touring gets a little tiring. The same songs, night after night, and the vague discomfort that comes with knowing you might say “I love you, Chicago!” to a crowd in Dallas. We’ve seen plenty of bands that treat their shows like your Average Joe would treat a day job (Yo. The Dodos. I’m talking to you.), but we’ve also seen bands that take it to another level.
That level was completely destroyed in one single set on Friday night. Explosions in the Sky rocked the AT&T Performing Arts Center, take two after having their first set rained out in September (side note: it rains about once a month in Dallas. And it had to come down in buckets and ruin a perfectly good outdoor EIS performance? Sob.)
Explosions in the Sky is art on stage. They feel music in their souls, and their every part of their performance shows it. Every band member was completely absorbed in the music, and what could have been a less-than-thrilling performance without vocals or awkward dancing turned into a completely captivating experience. And these guys don’t stop. They played for almost 90 minutes straight – no pauses, not much dialogue and (despite requests from the crowd) no encore.
If you ever get the chance to see Explosions in the Sky live, take it. In a space dominated by weirdness for the sake of weirdness, it’s refreshing to see a band just focus on the music, and just lay it all out on the table. And before you start tearing up, I promise that sassy Sisspyhis is coming back in 3…2….1.
One quick thing. I understand that most shows are held in spaces that are standing room only. It makes it easier to hipster head-bang, or something like that. But when you’re in a venue like the AT&T Performing Arts Center, where you pay for specific seats and listen to bands that aren’t necessarily dance-worthy, SIT. THE. HELL. DOWN. We’re loving the set, too, and if we were standing, we might even sway a bit. Your Tai Chi moves that somehow shift you from the balcony down to block the front move? Leave them at home.
