Concert Review: My Body Tells Me To Dance

Currently in the midst of a tour in support of their latest effort Mind Over Matter, Young the Giant made a stop at the Egyptian Room at Old National Centre March 10. Of course, they weren’t coming here alone. Joining in on the fun was singer/songwriter Vance Joy.

First, a disclaimer: I don’t listen to a lot of Young the Giant, I’m not very familiar with their line of work outside of what I’ve heard on the radio, and I definitely don’t consider myself a fan. So it’s for these reasons that I thought I’d venture outside of my comfort zone to take in a rock band that a lot of my friends seem to enjoy. Anyway, let’s get this started.

I’ve paid for parking, I’ve obtained my ticket, and I’m walking into an Egyptian Room that seems a little more bare than the last time I was here. Maybe a quarter of the room is filled right now. Definitely not the sardine can-like conditions I’ve seen time and time again, but not an empty room by any means. We still have some time before the headliners take the stage, and our opening act looks like they’re ready to go.

Vance Joy – a singer/songwriter from Melbourne, Australia greets everyone before going straight in to his first number. While he is accompanied by a full band (bass, drums, keys), it feels a lot like a soloist who happens to have a touring band. Not that this is a bad thing. His folk-inspired acoustic songs definitely benefit from having others around.

As for his performance, he might have seemed a little nervous or awkward in between songs, but as soon as he started playing again, you could tell he was in his element. His soft blend of indie/folk was very tight, but I have to wonder if maybe this venue and stage was a little too big. Like maybe Joy would benefit more from a smaller, more intimate setting. Regardless, his music is a crowd pleaser, as some are seen nodding along with the occasional singing along. He even took time to interact with the crowd, complimenting the weather outside, joking that the Pacers shirt his keyboardist was wearing was “a move made by middle management, and answering one fan’s question of where he’s from (it sounded like a lot of the ladies were in love with his accent). Overall, not a bad way to kick things off, and at the very least, it looks like he managed to win over a few people, which is never easy for an opening band.

Okay, so it’s a little more crowded now, and this nice little spot I found off to the side is now heavily populated. There’s excited chatter heard all around the room, and even some are resorting to shouting. Not to worry though, because once the music starts up again, I’m sure everyone will be doing the same.

Another note about this crowd, the taller people seemed to move the closest to the stage while the shorter ones had to stand behind them. Think of it as a reverse school photo (or the world’s worst Cingular ad for those who remember them).

You would think a show with only two bands would move a lot faster than this. This is not the case. I know I typically complain about it feeling like an eternity before our headliner comes out, but it’s a good hour we’re standing around before anything happens. Whether or not this is because they’re trying to build anticipation or it really does take this long to set up, we may never know. There are a few chants breaking out and some clapping in unison (sort of) going on. I’d say everyone is ready. Todd from X103 even makes an appearance to talk to the crowd for a few moments. Though he does introduce the band, he also says they’ll be out on stage momentarily, and the wait continues…

At long last, the house lights go down and the band take the stage to much applause. Now let’s find out if all that waiting was worth it.

Seeing as their latest effort Mind Over Matter came out a few months ago, there were plenty of songs from said record such as “Paralysis” and “It’s About Time,” as well as a few other familiar favorites from their debut, all of which embody Young the Giant’s wonderfully energetic and catchy hooks and melodies. All the while, the crowd is just eating everything up, dancing and jumping around to their heart’s content. This includes one overly-enthusiastic fan in front of me who I was worried might accidentally punch me in the face, but hey, lively crowds are awesome crowds.

As for the performance, their lively stage presence seemed to mesh perfectly for the dozens of lights set up on stage. Actually, from a distance, it kind of looked like that diorama of the Solar System you built as a kid. There is even a series of panels that project a series of different images throughout the show. Kind of like what The National did on their last tour, but a little less intricate. Regardless, it’s a nice complement.

On the other side of it, their energetic presence seemed to contrast with their relatively calm demeanor in between songs. It’s nothing major, just something interesting to note. Anyway, let’s move on.

I’m surrounded by people who know every song and are happily dancing and singing along like their lives depended on it, and despite my lack of knowledge, I’m still finding a lot to enjoy. I may only know three songs (including one everyone around me is clamoring for, but we’ll get to that later), but I can appreciate a band that puts as much emphasis on putting on a show as they do playing good music. My body tells me to dance, so why ignore that feeling?

We’re getting closer to the end of the night, and all around me, people are starting to ask when will they play “My Body.” Instead, we get a healthy dose of “Cough Syrup” before going into “Crystallized” and bidding the crowd farewell almost without warning. Judging by some of the crowd noise, we’re not ready to see this end. The applause continues, and what seems like a nod to earlier in the night, they also take their time to come back out and give everyone what they want. Everyone is chanting “one more song,” but it looks like they may give us more than that.

One person shouts at the stage “My Body,” which they promise they’ll get there, but first, it’s into “Apartment” and the title track from their latest album. To finish off the evening, they play the song everyone has been waiting to hear all evening, sending the audience into a frenzy of jumping and singing along. Frontman Sameer Gadhia even goes out into the crowd to join the masses just as the song concludes. The people are happy, the band bids a fond farewell for one last time, and just like that, the night is over. Some people stick around to try to get their hands on discarded setlists or drum sticks, the rest of us head towards the exits. Me? I’m spending my time trying to piece together what I saw and put it into one (hopefully) comprehensible report.

And here we are.

Final verdict?

While I may not consider myself a fan, there was plenty to enjoy, even for a “clueless reviewer” such as myself. Sometimes you don’t need to know everything about who you’re about to see. Sometimes, all you need is an open mind, a few friends, and the right band to bring it all together.

The Good:

Not that it was overly theatrical in any way (it wasn’t), but everything about this show seemed to go together: the lighting, the atmosphere, and of course, the music. Even the opener Vance Joy was a hidden gem who seemed to win over a crowd that may not have been entirely interested in seeing him.

The Bad:

Maybe a nitpick if there ever was one, but the wait in between bands may have been a little too long, whether it was because of technical difficulties or just trying to pad out the time. Think of it like a loading screen on a video game: it feels like it takes forever, but it’s still worth it once it starts back up.