what did we attend: TIRED PONY

 

I'm sorry these photos are such poor quality. The people at the door were checking bags and made me bag check my DSLR so no luck in taking the awesome photos that I knew would've come out of this night. Ah well - learning to detach myself from my digital gadgets is good too. And this meant i really had a full experience.

Last night my roommate and I attended the Tired Pony concert in New York. Tired Pony is Gary Lightbody, Richard Colburn, Iain Archer, Jacknife Lee, Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Troy Stewart. Gary Lightbody is the lead vocalist of Snow Patrol (one of my all-time favorite bands since about 6 - 7 years ago). This was Tired Pony's first gig in the United States (they'll be playing in LA on this Monday October 4) and their second in the world (the first was in London this summer). As a result of our inability to get tickets to the Snow Patrol concert sometime a little over a year ago, we immediately jumped at the chance to see Gary Lightbody in the flesh playing with Tired Pony, one of his many collaborative efforts with other amazing artists.

The concert was a great deal of solid fun. It wasn't music to get your heart pumping and feet jumping, but music to feel moved by, listen intently to and let your body move instinctively. The vocalists were entrancing, the mood dreamy and the musicians pulled off the craziest amount of instrument changes. (At any time on stage there would be somewhere between 9 - 12 different performers.) Songs were sincere and though not executed perfectly all the time, more real for the touch and go quality the performance gave it. They all had fun with each other too, really interacting and enjoying what they were doing.

Gary Lightbody exudes charisma. The man isn't actually handsome but his magnetic appeal and ability to persuade the audience to become emotionally involved with his music makes him incredibly attractive. His attitude and communication with the venue full of people was at ease and joking while his treatment of the set was serious and his singing honestly an act of complete effort and intention.

Though I entered the venue not terribly excited by the actual tunes I would be hearing, I left feeling more enthused about Tired Pony and their newly released album The Place We Ran From. The group gives off the aura that they're all in it mostly for the chance to be creative together and make good music. Their energy is definitely what still remains in my mind. I also left feeling good without any easily identifiable explanation and that sort of easy-going happy feeling is always a nice indication that the music I've just been immersed in was an experience worth trying.

I hope and hope and hope that Snow Patrol tours the United States again or that by some magic I will happen to be wherever they are performing (and have tickets).