By: Graham Binder
Having never been to Ram’s Head Live and having never seen either The Antlers or Explosions in the Sky in a live setting, I was in strong anticipation of the evening ahead. Assuming Ram’s Head Live was Baltimore’s equivalent of D.C.’s 9:30 Club, I couldn’t have been more off the mark. The venue is situated in what can only be described as an intense colony of nightlife surrounded by brightly lit clubs and restaurants with neon and glitz everywhere you turn. After wading through a sea of eager partiers and not before my ID was checked three times, I headed into the somewhat hidden Ram’s Head Live, where The Antlers had begun their set.
Currently touring behind their fourth studio album, Burst Apart, the band has grown from a solo project via vocalist/guitarist Peter Silberman, into a full-blown assault on the senses with a mix of sonic material that can best be described as Radiohead meets ‘80s synthpop. Silberman’s penchant for falsetto vocals blended perfectly with the neo-punk keyboard and guitar flourishes to create a simple, yet explosive sound, one that defies the tenants of indie rock but simultaneously encourages its contemporaries to incorporate more precision and focus.
EINS Photo by Graham Binder
Explosions in the Sky came on after a brief changeover to a very sold out crowd, and charged into a slew of numbers from their newest record, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Featuring a trio of lights out guitar wizards in Mark Smith, Michael James and Munaf Rayani, these guys have been at it for a number of years, quietly and slowly building a dedicated following through their dreamscape instrumentals that fall somewhere between shoegaze, neo-punk, and straight up jam-band.
After wrapping their relatively short set of 80 minutes (with no encore, but that seems to be their standard), I felt like they never shifted out of 4th gear. They are certainly brilliant at crafting “choose you own adventure” type tunes but detrimental to their set was the proclivity to start certain songs as if it should be the end and then drop to an extreme low point as the song concluded.
Set choice and energy level aside, these guys are unbelievable talents. With Smith, James and Rayani each boasting distinct techniques woven into inimitable tracks featuring a symphony of harmonies, key changes and hyper complex progressions, you can’t help but be mesmerized. Biggest complaint; just a few too many lows in favor of highs.
