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I have never seen the movie Footloose, but I was told that it is about this small town where the kids are not allowed to dance because it is a sin. However one night someone dances and its this new craze (I get the point I should probably see the movie) - well last night Kennewick and the thirty or so kids in the Red Room were the people of Footloose.
Matt and I were walking across the street coming back from a very greasy dinner at Burger Ranch and pulling into the Bowling Ally/Church/Red Room parking lot was a big yellow painted school bus! I instantly knew the band had arrived! Yep Dan Deacon, his ensemble, Future Islands, and Teeth Mountain all travel the big open road in one school bus with all their gear and towing a car. The band was running late which happens, no worries. So, while we were waiting Matt and I kind of just sat in awe watching all the gear be hauled in and watching this guy hook up a projector on the ceiling. We knew we were going to be in for a treat.
Their set up is so big, not only did it come complete with a white backdrop that turned into a screen covering the whole back wall of the stage... but their gear covered the stage and the wall next to it. They even came with a sound guy AND a technical director.
 Once all the instruments were tuned the thirty or so kids walked up to the stage and gathered around to watch Teeth Mountain play. Teeth Mountain felt like an art exhibit to me, not only did they have super intense music but really cool graphics on the backdrop. At one point it looked like the band was falling through space. Taking in their whole set I started to wonder what a person would think of this, would they look at it like a Jackson Pollock painting that is so out-there? Saying anyone can do that it's just splattered paint - referring to the fact that anyone can make music like that, it's just noise. I thought of that old person criticizing the band saying like what I mentioned above and that just made me love what was going on even more.
Teeth Mountain's set was not only music that made we want to shake it like a salt shaker, but it was an art experience with the screen as well. Not to mention the talent I saw on the stage. It was more then just noise. All I could do was watch the drummers just pound their drums like they were in a Marching Band at the Superbowl. Both people on percussion were fast and kept on beat together and were truly working it. The chick was outstanding, her hands were moving faster then the Speed of Light (well at least it looked like that).
All seven people on stage were into making this "animal" trance. I only call it animal because it made me want to dance like one, it made me want to let loose. But like in Footloose everyone was afraid to dance at first, so I just shook my head a little bit as the rest of the audience did at first, but trust me if you read a little longer there is some dancing! Since the bands were running a little late we didn't get to see Teeth Mountain play a whole lot but what I heard was a new fun experience and it makes me really wonder if there is a mountain of teeth somewhere?
YAY! Kids were starting to get a little bit more comfortable with their surroundings and Future Islands made everyone's feet start to tap. I adore this band. It is a pop rock band that sounds like no other. Watching Sam, the singer, on stage was awesome! He just threw his body and hands around, and putting more expressions on his face then you could create with a Mr. Potato Head. I just get goosebumps thinking of it!
My favorite songs by Future Islands that we heard were "Beach Foam," "Pinnochio," and "Tinman." After watching Sam it dawned on me who he looks like! Jack Black!!  I went to tell Matty and he got it right on the head "...he has the passion of Morrissey and looks like Jack Black, but sounds like Biz Markie." That describes what we saw and then throw in some extra spunk.
I think around twenty kids travel on the school bus and about five of them were dancing like no-body's business having a blast in this big open room while Future Islands were playing - even complete with cartwheels. I think that is what got the dancing started. The kids of Kennewick and surrounding areas were no longer afraid to dance. They were a blast to see and great way to get ready to groove along with Dan Deacon and his outstanding ensemble!
No Way! Dan Deacon played on the floor while the full ensemble/ band took over the stage with three drum-sets and keyboards, and guitars and fun - thirteen people of fun. Before Dan started to play he decided that we should do a little "get to know you" activity. He lead us in to a big circle and then to make this short we hopped in and in and in with our eyes shut until every single person was knelt down touching each others heads and whisperings non-sense and secrets into each others ears. I felt like I was at this badass summer camp.
After that Dan got the show started. The room went dark and the colored lights lit up the room like a Christmas Tree. His green alien skull light was creepy in such a cool way. Dan was excited to play to a small crowd (which I thought was cool) because he was sick of people putting beer cans on his soundboard and calling him a fag while he was playing. He took our small crowd-ness to the full advantage. After playing about half of one song and we were all jumping around having the times of our lives, the freakin' lights and noise stop. Dan and his Ensemble blew the circuit! Matt and I thought for sure that the show was going to be over, for the circuit that broke was inside the Bowling Ally next door, that was well closed. A kid shouts out to Dan "Have you ever done and unplugged set?" Dan hollers back "uh yeah that's what I am doing now." For about ten minutes or so Dan lead us all in a humming/singing project where we copied him, it was really hard to follow because A) it was funny and B) he was quick! Right before we were about to get into another group circle - they fixed the Circuit without getting into the bowling ally and that is why he travels with a Sound Guy and a Technical Director - o and a huge crew!
 The lights and music came back on and everyone was jumping up and down clapping, pointing, throwing glow sticks around and just having fun. Sooner or later Dan had us back in a circle for some more fun activities - I am not being sarcastic either. We got to have a dance off!
In the center of the circle stood two kids one dressed as a circle and one dressed as a triangle and then when the music started they would dance and once they felt they were done they went and picked a new person of the same shape to take their place. I have never done a "Dance Off" before and it was a blast! After the Dan Deacon Dance Off the triangle led us in a whirl pool run that resulted into two circles running opposite directions and giving each other high-fives all while Dan and the Ensemble just created this boisterous music. I don't think I have ever had so much barbaric fun at a concert, the kind of fun where it is child like with no worries.
Well too much fun lead to someone getting a boo-boo therefore we got to do an even cooler dance activity that was a little bit more mellow. We all crowded into a corner and two people formed a peak with their hands together in the air, then the next two people went under them and then added on to the peak hand tunnel and everyone got to go through it like seven or so times. We went from the front of the stage inside to the patio outside,  wrapped around, and ended back up at the front of the stage! Meanwhile Dan Deacon and the Ensemble had this crazy beat music that just made the dance like 25 million times more fun. It was SO COOL.
I can't believe that show happened in Kennewick (which is awesome for The Red Room) and that it was for only thirty kids. It ended up being this super intimate private show where at some point in the night you danced with and touched almost every other person in the audience including Dan Deacon. He is a confident, smart, musician and what he puts on with the full group of people is magical. He even did it with his arm in a brace! In the end I am glad that the show was in Kennewick because we got to go to the Red Room for our first time and I am so excited Kennewick has a cool music venue like that now! It is huge, red, and has a groovy coffee shop with a great stage and good sound. The kids that run it are awesome - Thanks Caleb! In a way I am also excited the show wasn't packed because if it was, we probably wouldn't of got to run around like jungle animals and I wouldn't trade that in for a thing.
Our night ended with one more circle and a few more laughs making it one of the best shows I have ever been too - unreal! Baltimore you have some talented peeps!
Check out more photos from the show HERE!
Andrea@checkitoutmusic.com |
