The War on Drugs with Califone, or “When Persistence Pays Off”

By Ryan G

Getting into this show was quite the series of events – but in the end I was able to snag a press ticket (thank you much, Patrick Tilley with Pitch Perfect PR!) Given how much I enjoy the album titled ‘Lost in the Dream’ I wasn’t going to let a tiny obstacle like a sold out Newport Music Hall show get in my way.

Califone, a fuzzy indie rock collective, is a group I experienced blind – so to speak. The payoff of unexpected quality from bands cannot be understated. This band definitely falls into this category. I had the fortune of being able to watch people get absorbed in the noise, including nearby Adam Wood and Phil Reed of The Wind and the Sea, one of the best bands in Columbus who have experience with this same umbrella of sonic waves. Frontman Tim Rutilli commented several times on his love for the dank venues in Columbus he’s played in gigs past, quipping that perhaps we could all let loose a little urine to help the ambience. Urinary wit aside, this was an enjoyable act that resulted in much grooving in the pit (a rare place for me to end up in this venue). I want to compliment the sound engineer specifically for being a magician that accomplished exactly what the band was going for. The effect was too precise for it not to have been on purpose – the waves had a way of accomplishing a surround sound effect. I felt physically surrounded by music at times. Yes, physically. The drummer nonchalantly navigated his way through the soundscapes also with precision.

The War on Drugs headlined with a no frills performance that sounded like a near carbon copy of the band in recorded form. There was hardly any banter nor dramatic expression from the stage. There were no stage hands either. To see a band capable of selling out the Newport that isn’t local manage their gear with minimal outside help is almost unheard of. Clearly – the focus is on the music and the music alone. They are so focused on getting everything just right that they’ve maintained a DIY attitude. This was my second time around seeing Dave Hartley on a stage – the first time was awhile ago when he fronted his side project Nightlands. So it was cool to see his relaxed groove manifest itself in a larger room. The music itself was a balance of songs from ‘Lost in the Dream’ and ‘Slave Ambient’, with highlights including “Under the Pressure,” “Disappearing” and “Red Eyes.” By the way, the drummer is just as fun to watch live as he was during the band’s appearance on “Late Night with David Letterman.” The vocals, and everything else were on point – impressive given the crowded stage. But then again, I suppose when a band sticks to doing everything themselves a lack of technical difficulty really shouldn’t be a surprise.

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