Dismemberment Plan / French Kicks / Ex-Models

live in Chicago (2002)

Veni_Vidi

The show started off with a swift kick to the ear drums from a band from New York City, The Ex-Models. Their powerful spurts of hard-rocking riffs seemed to be powered by internal energy that shot through their fingers, and into their instruments. Their bodies twitched and jerked to some other time that fit their chaotic, distorted noise perfectly. They grinded drumsticks across the necks of thier guitars to produce a thunderous rumbling to match the clashing of the drummer's cymbals. These guys were energy packed, and knew how to rock out.

Then came the French Kicks. With an unusual set-up: drums to the front. Nick Stumpf, the lead singer, bounced as he tapped out the beat and sang with the urgency and focus of any purely vocal musician. Matt Stinchcomb (guitar) and Jamie Krents (bass) played back-up to the interchanging vocals of Nick Stumpf and Josh Wise (vocals and keyboard). They had a poppy, catchy sound that induced the tapping of feet and the bobbing of heads. Their endearing stage presence made them accessible to even the most cynical of indie scenesters.

Finally: The Dismemberment Plan. Comprised of Travis Morrison (vocals/guitar/keyboard),
Jason Caddell (guitar/keyboard),
Eric Xelson (bass/keyboard), and
Joe Easley (drum). They broke out the quirky, electronic music that the crowd craved. As they took the stage you could feel the crowd's energy levels grow. The Metro was filled with people pouring out into every corner. In the balcony hundreds of show-goers hugged the railings to get a better view of Morrison's killer dance moves. Like a robot, he would slide across the stage in between verses and punches on his new key board. Xelson plucked his strings as he pumped his body along with the beat. The crowed writhed along with him. The D-Plan's songs induced dancing, but with the snuggly packed audience, it was almost impossible. Steam rose from the masses, as they looked on at the band. Through out their set, Morrison had created a great casual relationship with the crowd. His interactions were not that of some cocky rockstar, but that of a friend, who's band just so happened to be playing at the moment. After the show he'd probably hang out with you and have a few beers, and he probably did.
Good Bands Good Audience = Good times