Live Review: Totally Dad at the Silent Barn [12.1.07]

Silent Barn always has a sort of apocalyptic vibe to it, but it was especially steeped in death on December 1st. That night’s show was supposed to be a benefit for Steve Trimboli (the owner of Brooklyn venue Goodbye Blue Monday) who was recently diagnosed with cancer, and on top of that, the headlining band, Meneguar, ended up canceling because the singer’s girlfriend’s dad died. And then another band cancelled due to “other unfortunate circumstances.” The venue, normally full of smoke and drunk people making out and falling on the floor and continuing to make out, was empty except for small groups of people fidgeting with beer labels and talking about death.

I wasn’t too familiar with any of the bands who actually made it to the show, but there’s not a whole lot to do on a wintry night in Ridgewood, so I stuck around. And I’m happy I did. Silent Barn is actually pretty chill when it’s not filled to capacity, and Totally Dad, the first band that played, was pretty fantastic.

Totally Dad is four guys who dress vaguely like dads (plaid shirts, cable-knit sweaters, the odd mustache) and play rambling, freak-out noise rock songs punctuated by shouts of subtly dad-themed lyrics. Actually, I’m not sure if they dress like dads on purpose, or if they’re normal cool kids in plaid and mustaches. I asked, but they wouldn’t tell me.

The band was also vague about how dad-oriented the lyrics are. There’s one song that’s undeniably about an emotionally unavailable dad, though, and that’s enough for me: “Let's all go down to the creek/ I'll find myself, but I won't speak a word/ I don't get no Saturday!” Even if the other songs are about other stuff, I’m okay with projecting my own family drama on them and conceptualizing Totally Dad’s music as a kid’s response to a dad who doesn’t relate. If dad isn’t paying attention, two fuzzed-out, squealing guitars, stacatto yelping, and frantic drumming that veers away from the time signature will likely get his attention. Or at least piss him off.

The band consists of two guitarists (Andy and Jordan, who also sings), a drummer, Eddy, and another guy named Craig. When he sings, Jordan looks like David Byrne at his most nervous. Craig, a new addition to the band, stands in the back and fucks with things. He used an electric toothbrush to get feedback from an electric guitar, and shook a tall boy of Rolling Rock full of pennies with a contact mic taped to its side.

After Totally Dad, Car Clutch (featuring Brendan Fowler aka BARR) played electronic dance music with tambourine and singing on the upstairs stage, and then Blues Control did a set downstairs. Blues Control played gorgeous grimy drone-noise best enjoyed drunk (check) and lying on the floor (check). All in all, it was a good show- Silent Barn is fun when it’s not packed, Totally Dad made me stop brooding about death, and I now think more bands should tape contact mics to beer cans. I’ll see Meneguar another time.

[Photo courtesy of thepiratehat via Flickr]