Longview: Live at the Viper Room On a befittingly crisp Hollywood evening, Columbia Records’ Longview played to a strong crowd at the friendly confines of The Viper Room in the first stop of a nine-city swing through the West Coast. The boys from Manchester with mopped coifs looked the part of the disaffected, trendy with far-away stares, at least on stage. They played six songs off their 2003 debut album Mercury to adoring fans, including some industry insiders. Familiar accents of bearded origin espoused wisdom on subjects as wide-ranging as the shitty P.A. system to which chap would buy the next Car Bombs. Longview's sound is best described as a mash of The Psychedelic Furs and The Verve, layered with an ambient smattering of Radiohead and the heartache of Morrisey. In other words, definitively British. But unfortunately The Viper Room’s sound system couldn’t keep up with them. Their mid-range guitar delay and reverb accentuated by four-part vocal harmonies got lost in the Viper’s velvety walls. Which just goes to show you that, no matter how big of a band you are -- within reason -- nailing a good mix in L.A. is a crap shoot. It might not have been the fault of the club, as Longview did bring their own sound entourage. But that is another subject altogether. But it didn’t stop Longview from bombarding the audience with walls of wanton emotion, leading off with the anthem “When You Sleep,” a song whose tight harmonies show off lead singer Rob McVey’s rich tenor. A commanding presence at about 6-6, the classically trained guitarist ran the show, trading effects more than licks with Doug Morch, while drummer Matt Dabbs and bassist Aidan Banks drove the thick, clean rhythm forward without a hitch. You could tell McVey was quite interested in the sound mix -- or lack thereof -- because he periodically leaned out over the audience to gauge it. But he didn’t allow it to affect his performance. Despite a few feedback problems -- the first of which on “Sleep” actually added some interesting texture -- he was a champ, singing of love and destitution. Apropos, considering that his girlfriend had just made the trek across the pond to join the band a day earlier. Longview's true power resides within its well-rehearsed harmonies, richly demonstrated in their final song of the night, “Further,” a driving rock ballad. The vocals seemed dead-on throughout Longview's set, a result the band was more than happy with, given the setting and sound issues. I got the feeling that McVey and company have waited a long time for their Moment, and they seem destined to stick around for some time. Although they've been together for only three years, they've been basking in the limelight for the past 18 months; plus, the foursome are road dogs. Having toured with Elbow, Phoenix and Dogs Die in Hot Cars, they have played up and down England and are quickly gobbling up the U.S. Which is fine, because Longview seems at home when they are on stage. They possess enough artistry to win over most anyone who happens to be influenced in some way by '80s New Wave and Goth. It is apparent that, with even more road seasoning that will undoubtedly increase its base, longer sets at larger venues will do Longview the justice it deserves. -- Ryan Gray |
|
Longview
|
