Fujiya & Miyagi & School of Seven Bells @ the Entry

School of Seven Bells

There are some rock shows where you close your eyes to avoid seeing the train wreck happening in front of you, diverting your attention from an artist clearly not ready for the stage they are on. And then there are shows, like last evening’s Fujiya & Miyagi/School Of Seven Bells show at the extremely sold out 7th Street Entry, where you close your eyes and let the sound wash over you and take you somewhere else entirely. Especially with the stunning identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Dehez on stage, School Of Seven Bells were best experienced (at least in my opinion) with eyes closed, without their beauty distracting from the music in any way. And both bands didn’t really get up to much on stage, so I let the music do most of the work for me, transporting me somewhere besides the extremely crowded Entry.

School of Seven Bells

School Of Seven Bells opened with “Iamundernodisguise,” the first track on their excellent debut full-length Alpinisms, and right from the get-go, it was clear that guitarist Benjamin Curtis was working way too hard on his various effects pedals and knobs without having the sound in the room reflect his efforts. His sounds were buried too deep in the mix, and the vocal harmonies of the Dehez sisters, while pleasant enough, overwhelmed their sound and made a lot of their songs sound similar as a result. Perhaps it’s a conscious effort by Ben to not dominate their ethereal sound with his guitar work, because their mix was the same when I saw them open for M83 at the Triple Rock a couple months ago. But, in my opinion, their music suffers a bit under that arrangement, for he’s way too talented to be relegated to merely a bit player in the group, and their album is filled with varied and interesting sounds that he creates which don’t come across nearly as clear when performed live.

School of Seven Bells

School of Seven Bells

That’s not to say that the show wasn’t without it’s highlights, for when the band hit their stride, the music is quite intoxicating. “Wired For Light,” “My Cabal” and “Connjur” were all enchanting sonic experiments that worked well in the live setting, and filled the club with the band’s airy sound. On record, the band’s sound is much more soaring and exalted, but those heights aren’t quite reached by their live set. Their songs are enjoyable, but ultimately don’t really go anywhere all that interesting in the end. I think with more of an impact from Ben, their live sound could match the elegant soundscapes found on their record, but for the time being, their live show suffers from a lack of his guitar and effects in the mix.

School of Seven Bells

School of Seven Bells

School of Seven Bells

Surprisingly, the club cleared out ever so slightly for headliners Fujiya & Miyagi, and those that left missed out on a group that has clearly found their sound and polished it to electronic perfection. The band was tight and balanced, and their sound was superb. During the middle of the Brighton band’s second song, I was wondering why there was even a drum kit set up for the evening, for SVIIB didn’t employ a drummer and up until that point Fujiya & Miyagi weren’t either (they’ve been a three-piece with a drum machine prior to this tour). But new member Lee Adams came out from behind the curtain to sit behind the kit, and helped bring “Ankle Injuries” to a propulsive close. He brought a more natural, organic sound to their music, and in my mind is a welcome addition to the group’s hypnotic live show. Frontman David Best was affable and accomplished all evening, as his intricate guitar work guided the songs, and the “rhythm section” of Steve Lewis and Matt Hainsby gave the songs their depth and atmospheric dimensions.

Touring behind their splendid new record Lightbulbs, their set leaned heavily on their new material as well as songs from 2007′s Transparent Things. Standouts included “Cassettesingle,” “Pussyfooting” and “In One Ear.” Their songs are tightly wound constructions that have a catchy underlying beat that always seems to get heads nodding. But there is quite a bit of space to be found in their music as well, no matter how dense it may sound. And plenty of people in the crowd were free to get lost in that space throughout the show, even though there wasn’t much room available to dance in. Best’s lyrics are rather goofy at times, reminiscent of the often dead-pan delivery of Jermaine and Bret from Flight Of The Concords (especially on a track like “Pickpocket”). The real innovative aspect of the band is their funky, enthralling sound, which was mixed pristinely last night, with all the nuances of their music perfectly audible and crisp.

It was a show I spent a good majority of in my own head, with the music providing a spatial soundtrack to my thoughts as well as conveying me out of the crowded Entry into somewhere much more pleasant but rather hard to define. I think School Of Seven Bells have yet to reach the promise that is hinted at in their debut record, but touring with a taut and focused band like Fujiya & Miyagi will only help them to flesh out their live sound and add dimension to their music. Fujiya & Miyagi have really solidified their sound and nailed down their live show, and when it’s mixed right, as it was last night, their sound can take you to all corners of the globe with their varying influences and styles. Or, it can simply just make you dance, provided you have the room.

[Review by Erik Thompson and photos by Jon Behm.]

Fujiya & Miyagi: Purchase | MySpace | Wikipedia
School of Seven Bells: Purchase | Official | MySpace | Wikipedia

Also: Interview with Benjamin Curtis of School of Seven Bells