w/ Dan Parsons, Blame Ringo
Ever since I heard Disco Nap's single "The Soft Sell" I have been trying to catch them live, but alas, unforeseen circumstances have hindered my attendance at their last three gigs. So needless to say I was a little excited about tonight. And to have Dan Parsons and Blame Ringo supporting, like I said, exciting. Tonight I found myself marvelling at the talent that is the individual musicians in a rhythm section of a band. I have the utmost respect for all these musicians. They may not be the frontman who gets to carry on with all the antics that are associated with that title, but rather, I believe they contribute most to the essence of a band. Without this, a band would have no soul, no life.
Can I just say, the bass player for Blame Ringo, frigginfantastic! One, his bass is one of the coolest I have seen - not your typical Fender, and Two, he is incredible! Not to sound naive, but many a band have solid guitar solos, but not many in my recent experience have had the opportunity for bass solos. Blame Ringo really gave their bass player a chance to shine. And shine he did! In one of their new tracks he was going nuts! It was inspiring to watch. The other two held the vocals while this was going on, where typically all three would be in harmony for sections such as these. On another note, it interested me to see all three vocalists taking lead in a single, individual song. For example, each member would do a different verse, or take lead in the chorus instead. I'll say this, Blame Ringo aren't your typical band like that, and the more I see them live, the more I notice it. This is a very good thing.
Dan Parsons! Where do I start! He is an incredibly talented songwriter and performer. His hooks are just that. They are unforgettable, and carry his songs to the next level. Again, Dan opened with and acoustic version of "This City" which I believe works really well for him. It shows his versatility as a performer being able to carry his pop tunes with charisma, while also toning down his acoustic tracks to produce a mellow tune. Guitarist Steve Grady also put on a stellar show, nailing his solos without a moments hesitation! I will also add that it made me happy inside when Dan took off the specs. He didn't need them, and they did nothing for me. Enough Said.
How Disco Nap came upon their name is beyond me. Since when do you take a nap at the disco! Their music however, in my opinion, answers that very question. Having heard only a couple of their tracks before, it surprised me to hear mostly ballads in their set list. Not that this is a bad thing, but it just took me by surprise. I have always liked Ross Hope's voice, but tonight just solidified this thought of mine. It is stunning. So mellow, yet.. mmm. Disco Nap's welcomed may-a-guest to the stage as they reproduced the tracks of their debut record. It was nice for them to mix up their line up. Overall for a first experience, I liked very much. The highlight by far for me was their single, "The Soft Sell", but then again, it has been one of my favourite songs since the day I first heard it... Regardless, t'was pretty darn amazing.
Three stellar acts. One venue. Top night. That's all. :D
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