The Divine Fits at Deluxe

I didn't quite jump at my first chance to see the Divine Fits, when they came to Columbus, OH. I figured that I had other things to do on a Monday night (and, truth be told, I did), but I slightly regretted not going to one of their inaugural shows. That is, until they expanded their tour and added Indianapolis to the schedule! I bought my ticket as soon as they went sale and never looked back!

The show itself was as wonderful as I could have hoped it to be. The dark indie band Cold Cave opened for them. Having only seen them from afar at last year's Pitchfork Festival, I had a presumption of them as being broody performers, but they had a surprising level of energy.

The Divine Fits carried the energy on through their set. Both singers, Dan Boeckner and Britt Daniel are great performers. This has likely been honed from years in other bands (Daniel with Spoon and Boeckner with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs). It was an incredible show, though I wish they had performed the cover of Frank Ocean's "Lost," like they did at a number of their other shows, but I'll try not to complain too much!



Mini setlist:

Cold Cave - "Underworld USA"

Cold Cave - "A Little Death to Laugh"

Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice"

Divine Fits - "Shivers"

Hooray for Earth and Cymbals Eat Guitars in Indy

Following the epic but disappointingly short Asobi Seksu show in Bloomington, I headed an hour north to Indianapolis for another night of great music.

My day began early in order to participate in the Indianapolis Green & Clean in preparation for Indianapolis' holding of the next Super Bowl. This was followed by lunch with a friend who will soon be relocating. A little bit of shopping after, then I headed over to meet up with the friend I would be attending the concert with.

After hanging out for the afternoon, we headed to the concert. My first thought upon entering the venue, the White Rabbit Cabaret, was that it seemed too posh for the show that would later be there. Heck, it's an actual cabaret, with cocktail tables, lush colors and fluffy furniture. Once the show started, however, the vibe completely changed.

The first act was Hooray for Earth, a synth-pop band that simultaneously reminds me of Cut Copy, Yeasayer and all that chillwave that's been going around. They didn't have the most energized presence on stage, though their drummer was awesome to watch (goodness, I love me some drummers). The show, overall, was good, but they didn't stray far from the sound on their album.

The second act, Cymbals Eat Guitars, managed to insert a lot more energy into their set and, I think, did more to pull the songs beyond how they sound in their releases. The band takes many cues from '90s indie rock. Unlike other indie revivalists like Yuck, they turn the genre a little bit on its head. There's a fair amount of experimentation that really sets them apart. Their set definitely had some interesting moments not directly related to their music. About halfway through, the lead singer confessed to experiencing heart palpitations and had to lay down a few moments...on the stage. It was a little strange, but the keyboardist filled the awkward moment with a little small talk.

I had purchased the vinyl of Cymbals Eat Guitars's new album, Lenses Alien, between the sets and decided that I wanted it signed. I headed to the merch table after the show, chatted a bit with the gorgeous lead singer and nervously asked for them to sign my album. They were so gracious to that request. The drummer actually ran around once trying to find a Sharpie and then again to find the keyboardist for him to sign.

Yay!

Two great bands, both definitely worth the time to check out!