No Thanks: A Band From Omaha

There I was, discussing the pros and cons of suicide with Johnny Depp while helping him clean out a closet. Then I woke up and decided to write this blog entry . . .

As a vocalist myself, who cannot stand still on a stage, I appreciate someone who brings themselves entirely into their performance. You’re doing something beside delivering lyrics and showing your vocal range. You are a vehicle in which the spirit of the song is transporting the message to where it needs to go. As a musician, I understand the world that the music makes you inhabit while playing. Feel, I believe, is just as important (or more important) than sounding good or getting notes right.

When I saw No Thanks perform Saturday night I saw a band that was not only locked in but persevered with a sense of purpose without taking the setbacks too seriously. Their sound was very much in the theatrical Post Punk area (a cross between Joy Division and the Cure, though this is a feeble analogy) but had their very own sound. There was good communication throughout, despite having technical difficulties crop up with regularity. There was good balance between the jagged and the ethereal in the guitar playing. The bassist was solidly with the other members in the journey and was the fuel for the journey. The drummer, Gabe, not only anchored the rhythm but framed the mood and pushed the music forward.

The vocalist, Brendan, despite the problems with the mics and cables, delivered the vocals with conviction (ranging from soft intonations to howling like wounded animal). He would challenge the the audience, stare them down and invade their space. Anything to drive the point home. This is what a vocalist is supposed to do in my opinion.

I wish I could have heard the lyrics but it was very hard given the acoustics and the equipment. When you can give the meaning through intonation and delivery, however, you know you’re on to something. this is especially true when the band is fully with you on the journey.

I am normally terrible with names so I hope I got the two names I remember correct and I give my apologies to the two I forgot. No Thanks are definitely a band to see more than once.

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