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Snow Patrols' dour pop

Snow Patrol / OK Go
Eagles Ballroom
Milwaukee, WI
Apr. 5, 2007

Snow Patrol

OK Go

Snow Patrol

Story and photos by The Bon Bons

Snow Patrol, originally from Northern Ireland, fuse a different blend of alternative songwriting with razor sharp guitars. Eager ears were wide open for their blend of delightfully dour pop songs at the sold out Eagles Ballroom the other night.

Opening the set with "Spitting Games" from 2004's release Final Straw, lead singer and guitarist Gary Lightbody chewed the lyrics as his gyrating head played twin brother to his muscular chords. Lightbody sings with a textural overtone letting his voice reach it's tonal richness during the highnotes. "Chocolate" from 2004's Final Straw found some velvety vocals marry nicely with the upbeat and catchy guitars of Lightbody and Nathan Connolly. The bands' stage presence was mostly the frame around Lightbody's visceral canvas. Somewhat weaker moments occurred during "Grazed Knees" and "Shut Your Eyes" losing the connection to the crowd through unusually long shoegazing moments and some meandering chord changes.

Closing the night with "The Finish," "Open Your Eyes" and "Hands Open" the band reestablished it's sound with brash guitars, choppy bass and drums and Lightbody's wistful and poignant lyrics rising again.

Chicago boys, OK Go's rise to fame is based more on their clever dance routines than their music. Their blend of smart pop and energetic dancerock meld nicely into an inventive and muscular package. Vocalist and guitarist Damian Kulash started the night off right with the clever and hoppy "The House Wins." Bassist Tim Nordwind and drummer Dan Konopka kept the muscle lean on "Don't Ask Me Again." Other numbers that shined with bands' quality muscianship and electric stage performance were "No Sign of Life," "Get Over It" and "Do What You Want."

On the lo-fi dance number "Here It Goes Again." OK Go appropriatley played the number with instruments rather then recreating the dance featured in the famous video. The band was smart to let the music do the talking before they become known as "that band with the clever dance routines." Let's hope now that the focus sits squarely on the music.