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Triple Crown Records 20th Anniversary Show

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Melody Bot, Dec 11, 2017.

  1. Melody Bot

    Your friendly little forum bot. Staff Member

    This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply.

    Triple Crown Records has been putting out some of the scene’s most essential records for twenty years now, so it makes sense that their anniversary show ended up being one of the best shows I’ve seen this year. The four-band show had a mix of styles that spoke to the variance in sound the label has always had; a fan of almost any kind of music could’ve found a set to like. I ran through some of my favorites below.

    Shortly, the solo project of Alexandria Maniak, opened up the show, playing a string of unreleased songs. I was about as familiar with her music as I could’ve been, given she’s only released one song (“Matthew”) under the moniker. She performed with only an electric guitar and no backing band; her performance felt intensely intimate – impressive, since the show was sold out. Her rendition of “Matthew” was, as she promised, entirely different from the studio single. Stripped down, it became a dirge, with just Maniak’s voice to carry it. It was an impressive set all around, and she promised new music would be out soon. I’ll certainly be looking forward to that.

    Moving Mountains was up next, and they were one of the bands I was more excited for. Their last full-length, 2013’s Moving Mountains, is one of my absolute favorite albums, so I was looking forward to hearing some of it live; plus, I knew this might be my last chance to see the band for a while, as their activity seems pretty sporadic these days. Admittedly, the setlist was somewhat bizarre, but they did play a nice mix of songs from all their releases, opening with the Waves highlight “The Cascade.” While vocalist Greg Dunn’s vocal performance wasn’t quite as fiery as on the record, the rest of the band made up for it, super-sizing every heavy moment. None was more impressive than the outro of “Seasonal,” which found the band turning everything up to eleven for the best moment of their set.

    Third up was Sorority Noise, who had announced that they would be playing one of my favorite records of the year, their Triple Crown debut You’re Not as _____ as You Think, in full at the show. I’d heard that they were a great live band, but that turned out to be an understatement. The band put on the most energetic set of the night, ripping through the album’s first nine tracks with aplomb. One of the more interesting moments of their performance was the screamed section of “A Portrait Of…,” during which singer Cam Boucher changed out the lyrics. While I unfortunately couldn’t pick up what he was saying, I could feel the passion in his voice.

    You’re Not as ____ as You Think is a harrowing record to listen to – it details Boucher’s depression following his best friend’s suicide – and by the end of the “Leave the Fan On,” Boucher was visibly shaking. But they switched out the album’s proper closing track “New Room” in favor of the fan favorite “Using.” (I had hoped they might throw that song in, as it was my favorite Sorority Noise track before I pressed play on this album.) Following such a dark set, it was nice to get to hear the whole room sing the song’s hook together: “I stopped wishing I was dead.” It was cathartic for me as an audience member, and I can only hope it felt the same for the band. The rest of the crowd certainly loved it, as chants of “One more song!” echoed even after the band left the stage.

    Foxing closed out the show with a Dealer-heavy set. While the album was markedly more subdued than their debut The Albatross, you’d never know that from their performance – they made every moment of the set feel massive. At first it seemed like a strange choice to me to open with Dealer’s closer “Three on a Match,” but it made perfect sense once they transitioned into the slowburning “Eiffel” as a way to ease us into the set, and from there, hell broke loose. Vocalist Connor Murphy was nearly in the crowd numerous times throughout the set and alternated almost without warning from his smooth falsetto to a harsh shriek and back again. Like Moving Mountains, Foxing is a band that, on record, tends to put more emphasis on atmosphere than heaviness to convey emotion, but like Moving Mountains, their live show found the perfect balance between both.

    Murphy warned us this would be the band’s last time in New York for a while – but next time they returned, it would be with a new record. They performed an acoustic-led new song, too, and if it’s any indication, the new album will be fantastic. The addition of saxophone on a few songs was a nice touch, and of course the trumpet coda at the end of the raucous set closer “Rory” was a blast, even if moshing to a trumpet seems a bit laughable. Even if the last words sung (well, shouted) that night were “Why don’t you love me back,” I think I felt the love in the room.

    The Triple Crown Records 20th Anniversary Show took place in Brooklyn, NY on December 9th, 2017.

     
    trevorshmevor likes this.
  2. momo32t

    Trusted

    Solid review Zac. I also thought Moving Mountains had a bizarre, yet solid set. Happen to have a full setlist handy? Greatly appreciated.
     
    Zac Djamoos likes this.
  3. web250

    I'll change this eventually Prestigious

    Zac, minor edit, the show was on the 8th, not the 9th.

    Great review though. I missed Shortly's set, but all the other three were excellent. I too was perplexed by MovMou's set.
     
    Zac Djamoos likes this.
  4. Elder Lightning

    A lightning bolt without a cloud in the sky Supporter

    What was so weird about Moving Mountains' set?
     
  5. Leftandleaving

    I will be okay. everything Supporter

    Movmou:
    Cascade
    Deathless
    Seasonal
    Furnace woods
    Burn pile
    Cover the roots / lower the stems
    Abby normal
    Swing set
    thanks! I’ll edit that
    I was surprised how light it was on pneuma, since I know how much fans love it, and I expected 8105 or ode since those seem to be the big favs from there. Was also sort of surprised they opened with a waves song
     
    KidLightning likes this.
  6. brandon

    Regular Prestigious

    I saw Shortly open up for Microwave last month, she was really great and I'm very much looking forward to her future music
     
    smowashere and ImAMetaphor like this.
  7. CSWAPPO

    Regular

    I am so jealous that Moving Mountains played. I wish i could see them again. :concerned:
     
  8. cwhit

    still emperor emo Prestigious

    how cowpunk was that new foxing song tho????????
     
    KidLightning and CSWAPPO like this.
  9. chubacca

    Newbie

    Swing Set as a closer is very odd and also they didn't play anything off of Forward.
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  10. Leftandleaving

    I will be okay. everything Supporter

    it wasn’t
     
    KidLightning likes this.
  11. KyleK

    Let's get these people moving faster! Supporter

    Haven't been lucky enough to see them live (I had big hopes they'd be a surprise opener for one of Moneen's Red Tree anniversary shows last winter), but specifically I've always dreamed of seeing With One's Heart in One's Mouth performed live. Even if they revive their touring, seems unlikely that'll be on the setlist.
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  12. CSWAPPO

    Regular

    Never say Never! I'd love to see them again also. I saw them in Salt Lake once with Bayside, Say Anything, Eisley, and Moneen. It was Insane. They absolutely crushed in live.
     
  13. chubacca

    Newbie

    Anything off of Forward was amazing live. I'm shocked they didn't play any songs from there. At least them playing a one off show gives some hope of releasing new material.
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  14. jlinitz

    John Linitz @jlinitz

    My company holiday party was scheduled on this date after I bought tickets tho this show:-| was bummed I had to miss it! Can't wait for new Foxing, Dealer was phenomenal.
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  15. web250

    I'll change this eventually Prestigious

    Had the same issue, except my company does a lunch. So I went holiday party --> karaoke after party --> concert. Felt great the next day /s
     
    jlinitz and CSWAPPO like this.
  16. kylethrash

    Newbie

    Fun night.
     
  17. KyleK

    Let's get these people moving faster! Supporter

    True, they wouldn't be the first band that returned to some of their harder stuff in a phase of touring.
    On the Thrice tour in which Gates was opening I'd kinda hoped they'd satisfy my MovMou live fix, but it too was a more mellow set since it was shortly after the release of Parallel Lives - which to me was very much like the Moving Mountains S/T in energy and tone.
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  18. jlinitz

    John Linitz @jlinitz

    Damn, that sounds ideal hahah
     
  19. ALT/MSC/FAN

    It's chaos. Be kind. Prestigious

    Good review, Zac! Glad you liked Shortly - she's great and going to take over the damn planet.
     
    Zac Djamoos likes this.
  20. russvanderhoof

    pizza.~

    Anyone get a live vid of "Deathless?" One of my favorite traxxx to date.~
     
    CSWAPPO likes this.
  21. teebs41

    Prestigious Prestigious

    this show sounds like an incredible time.
     
    Zac Djamoos likes this.
  22. Leftandleaving

    I will be okay. everything Supporter

    You woulda loved it