Not that Minneapolis’ Dark Dark Dark didn’t send up a solid performance. Nona Marie Invie’s voice was strong and less Fiona Apple than I’d hoped for, but clear and controlled. The accordion (one of the nicest ones I’ve ever seen) was a gorgeous instrument and both Invie and multi-instrumentalist Walt McClements played it with zeal.

It might have been the spot I chose to stand, but both Marshall LaCount’s banjo and his clarinet were barely audible. You guys know, Off Broadway is home to one of the best sound systems in the city so I was pretty bummed, especially since I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone play an electric banjo before and I was stoked to experience something new (although using the banjo to get feedback noise off the amp was a stroke of genius).

Last night’s audience was one of the most generous and enthusiastic I’ve encountered in a long time. They were primed for heavy courting, yet the band politely maintained its distance. I’ve enjoyed plenty of shows with acts who weren’t so good at stage banter, so it was not the lack of communication. They seemed determined to let the music do all the handshaking for them, but a warm smile and a shy wave would have gone a long way to help that happen. Then again, maybe I was just hoping for a good accordion wank to round off my night.

Notes:
If you’ve never seen anyone play the accordion while simultaneously playing the trumpet, you’ve got living left to do. I took a picture, but it’s even worse than the shitty ones I’ve posted here. Thank you for not making fun of me, as usual.

Do yourself a favor and go watch the trailer for this movie. It’s a beautifully shot art film following musicians in Dark Dark Dark and banjo/accordion duet Fall Harbor through a summer on a river. It looks impossibly perfect, and hints at a reason for the distance between the band and their audience. The band actively embraces a carefully-groomed ideal, delicate and likely to be ruptured with direct handling. Maybe I’m reading too much into it and they were just having a slightly-off night, or maybe they heard about our crime statistics and they were too wary to get attached to any of us. Who knows? Regardless, the music was tight and I had a fine time.