Expectations can be a real bitch. I'd been keenly looking forward to the Ted Leo show at Call the Office for a rather long time. It was a strange situation: I found out they were playing at CTO a month and a bit ago, and the name sounded familiar, so I looked into them... and it was love from first note. I started counting the days until the concert; and so my entire relationship with the band has been based around their performance in London, that happened last night.
I got a chance to talk to Ted Leo for a while before the show, which was rather exciting. After getting the sincere complimenting out of the way, I decided to play music-journalist and asked him how he would describe his music. He disassociated himself from the indie rock scene, contending that more than anything his music is strongly rooted in punk, even if it doesn't sound like what we traditionally expect punk to be (very melodic, catchy, joyful). While the arrangements may differ, he feeds off of the spirit and the intensity as well as the politicism and meaning behind the punk movement. And when it comes to a 'how punk are you?' contest, that's probably a whole lot more important than yelling and playing simplistic power chords. He also acknowledged the celtic influence I detected (and loved) in his music, saying it's definitely one of the things swimming around in his head that comes out occassionally in the songs. He proffered that celtic music has a certain fire at its soul that goes beyond other traditional musics, and I felt it necessary to agree. He revealed that the followup to 2003's spectacular Hearts of Oak has been done for a little while and will be released in October, and also mentioned that he has a very good friend in Hamilton so it isn't too far-out to imagine that my studies next year might have a Ted Leo/Pharmacists concert or two injected into them somewhere. Looking at past tour schedules, it seems that the band spends most of their time on the road.
It's always nice when the opening band at a show is actually very good and entertaining. Leo Lookout Labelmates The Reputation had that honour last night. Earlier, Ted had described them as smooth (emphasis on smooth) indie pop, and that was pretty accurate. Somewhere in the land of mixes between Garbage and the Cardigans. Catchy female led singings, with nice melodies and even some piano at times. I had not heard a peep of their music before the show, but afterwards I was very impressed and I made sure to tell Elizabeth Elmore (formerly of Sarge) that at the merch table. Really, if Reputation was that headliners I doubt I'd come out disappointed. I'm on their mailing-list now, and they gave us the impression that they would very likely be back in the nearish future. And that's when I really started hoping that Leo/Rx, who I'd been highly hyping to myself and others for a while, wouldn't end up sucking. Precedents such as really good support bands can be dangerous things.
Article comments
1 - Damon Muma
And less than 24 hours till I see him again!!