On the eve of the last night concert goers could light up indoors, Brooklyn mavens Au Revoir Simone took to the cozy stage at Houston’s premier indie music establishment, Walter’s on Washington. Accompanied by Austin sensations Oh No! Oh My! , the two powerhouses of pop goodness put on a top-notch performance.
Adorned in twinkle lights (yup - some of the guys decided to dress up for the occasion), the scruffy boys of Oh No! Oh My! started off the night with humor and hand clapping fun. Their jovial banter with the crowd and infectious melodies were a welcoming change of pace from the more formal indie gig. Though they did perform songs off their 2006 self-titled album, they also rocked and popped their way through many a new song. Their sound was tough to pin down at first, but progressed subtly throughout their act. Though every song had that underlying pop feel, there were moments of a harder, edgier sound escaping from the sunshine. Harmonies weren’t always executed as tightly and on key as one would like - but overall these guys did a bang up job making pop music sound genuinely hopeful without having to cash in on the cheesiness factor.
After a full hour of toe-tapping noise, the modest but devoted crowd was fired up and ready for the main attraction. Au Revoir Simone, a name that was plucked obscurely from one of the best movies of all time - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure - is a trio of towering talent. While keyboards were the star of the show, the tambourine, shakers, and xylophone made guest appearances in all the right places. One thing is for sure; their vision is far from simple. Their incredible knowledge and commitment to their craft was apparent from the moment they stepped on stage to set up. Graciously working with the Walter’s sound guy to ensure every note would resonate at just the right frequency, the women of Au Revoir Simone are as hard working as they are laid back and engaging.
Although they had to cut their set short, the band managed to pack in a good number of tunes off their full-length album, The Bird of Music. Their acute harmony and delicate vocals hugged the listener’s ears with a sort of dreamlike wonderment. “The Lucky One” and “Stay Golden” created fuzzy feelings of serenity, melancholy and hopeful calm. “A Violent Yet Flammable World” was rife with a darker, colder feeling of exquisite despair. “Sad Song” and “Fallen Snow” were a little more on the upbeat side and were at the perfect tempo for dancing.
It’s rather incredible how Au Revoir Simone is able to create music without conventional instruments in such a stunning and complex manner. What is even more remarkable is their ability to translate their sound from album to stage flawlessly. One of the biggest risks within this medium of music is not being able to execute a live show that can remain unique, interesting, and enjoyable throughout a show’s entirety (Keane’s tour of Hopes and Fears immediately springs to mind). For Au Revoir Simone, that was not, and probably never will be, an issue.
-- Brigitte B. Zabak
Photo: Tara Rollin
