Playlist Rewind: Shonen Knife at Johnny Brenda's
I Have a Baby and Ten Dollars...Now What?
Phillyist Playlist: The Kin at the Trocadero
Asshole of the Week
Blogged Around Philly: The Geeks Rule Edition
A week ago tonight, OFFICE, quite simply, rocked my face off.
It had been a long day – the fourth in a row. I left the office at 6:50, giving me just enough time to go home and change clothes before meeting my plus-one for the evening. I just wanted some feel-good music. Fortunately, as I mentioned in the preview for this show, OFFICE is feel-good music.
I just didn't know how good. You see, I've been let down a lot, lately. I've gone to see a few bands whose CDs I really enjoyed, but whose live performances were... lackluster, to say the least. It's enough to make this music-loving Phillyist a sad, sad girl. But, after a really-pretty-crappy opening act (hipster-frat boys singing goth-inflected emocore – mercifully, I've managed to repress their name), OFFICE took the stage and broke the status quo, launching into "The Ritz" (MP3) with the kind of crazy energy that woke the sleepy crowd at Johnny Brenda's and got them out of their seats and dancing.
From that point on, it was one upbeat indie pop song after another ("Oh My," the video we linked to in the preview, and available as an MP3 here, was a special treat), all overseen by Tom Smith, whose duties, according to the band's MySpace page, include "lead guitar/ vocals/ letterpress/ ink/ left-hand/ baseball/ lexicon/ mojo/ working follicles/ mediator." Most of his skill set was on display that evening (letterpress was conspicuously absent, as were the working—presumably hair—follicles) to great effect, although the rest of his band (Erica Corniel, drums/ vocals/ DJ/ punctuality/ credit report/ indignation/ single/ covered in green/ repeat story-teller; Scott Masson, rhythm guitar/ piano/ production/ crooner/ nervous breakdowns/ unpredictable disposition/ single/ wigs; Jessica Gonyea, vocals/ percussion/ keyboards/ glockenspiel/ DJ/ raw food consultant/ pills-for-ills/ Gucci-Tone/ organ) all had time to shine, too. (Once their sound levels were set correctly, at least – the harmonies weren't too easy to hear during the first couple of songs.) The set was over almost before it began, and the crowd obviously wanted more. But there was another band on the bill, so OFFICE thanked us and retreated to the area behind the "STAFF ONLY" door.
When I got home from the show, I mentioned to my friend from Chicago that he was right, OFFICE was awesome and I was glad I went, so thanks for the recommendation.
"I told you so," he replied.
So now I'm telling you: next time OFFICE is in town, run, do not walk, to see them. You can thank us later.
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