Use Your Ears: Concert Review Part 1 - Titus Andronicus

On Thursday E and I went to see Titus Andronicus at the 9:30 Club.  For those who are not up on their Civil-War-themed-indie-rock albums, Titus Andronicus recently made critical waves with 2009’s The Monitor, which ties Civil War history and Springsteen-inspired epic singalongs to lyrics about post-adolescent anxiety, rage and ennui.*  This might seem to you a jarring combination, with the ideas disparate both in aesthetics and general societal import, and that is because it is, and they are.  Execution on the Jersey natives' album isn’t perfect either: sometimes the songs feel a bit flat, and front man  Patrick Stickles' vocal stylings hover in the purposefully-grating-punk register more often than I would prefer. 

Nonetheless, the album is full of interestingly layered rhythms, catchy rock anthems and infectious energy.  Track 1, “A More Perfect Union,” is a stab at the millenial’s answer to Thunder Road (“Baby we were born to die”) and "Richard II" is an uptempo barroom ballad built on pure hatred for its subject ("And at the end of the day, to whatever extent that you hate yourself, it isn't enough").



Live, the band's energy coalesces nicely.  Each member of the now five-piece outfit has a designated dance, ranging from classic indie spasticity to restrained head bobbing to full-on headbanging.  At least one band member actually rocked his own glasses off his face during the set, which I think we can all agree is a pretty good sign.  A mosh pit of fans in front of the stage (yeah, at 9:30 Club, on a Thursday) kept those in the audience on their toes through the performance as well.

Songs were rendered admirably, though without the interesting Civil War era quotes that punctuate the album.  Singalongs were plentiful and reasonably enthusiastic, and an electric violin even made two appearances (with mixed success).  Banter was minimal, which was fine; when it did occur it was enthusiastic and grateful, which I love to see in a band.  There was a certain sense of dude-itude about the songs themselves, and no dearth of fist-pumps, but the audience was pretty well mixed gender-wise.  Plus, the band's lone female member Amy Klein was far and away the best and most energetic dancer; she totally won the night.

Verdict: Worth the $10 cab ride to get there on time.**

*Sample singalong choruses: “The enemy is everywhere,”  “You will always be a loser,” “They’re all going to be laughing at you,” “Please don’t ever leave.”
 **Though it sadly meant we had to leave the delicious Taqueria DF, where we were helping our good friend Mae celebrate two very exciting personal milestones, before the flan arrived.