Braids played 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis September 15, 2011. Their set was slated to start at 11 pm, and when we waltzed in appropriately at 11:05 pm, they were in the midst of an intense sound check. These guys seriously took their sweet time adjusting each instrument and microphone level to their exact pleasing. It seemed tedious and rather temperamental of them. However, any negative vibes they were emitting completely dispelled once they started playing. They began their show with “Glass Deers,” a soaring, ethereal plea. From the very start, it was clear that the four band members were so in sync with one another and so consumed by the music they were creating. As lead singer Raphaelle Standelle-Preston and keyboardist Katie Lee sang in unison, they maintained eye contact and sang to each other. You could feel the intimacy of their performance. The boys pleased as well. Taylor Smith on bass guitar surprised me with his vocal range and calm nature. However, drummer Austin Tufts was potentially the most dynamic musician. He was constantly putting effects on his drums and busying himself with reverberating background vocals and percussive effects. Together, the four of them engaged in delicate four part harmonies and intense auditory climaxes. Listening to them play was like hearing them speak a foreign language that they had created, nursed, and mastered. Their songs were so intricate and they made sure they were executed perfectly. In this way, Braids were more than just a musical performance, they were a celestial experience. As I watched them, I felt like I was listening to the creation of the universe. I had devoted a good amount of time to their debut album Native Speaker before the concert, and I was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to create such an all-encompassing sound live. I found the exact opposite to be true. On stage, their music assumed a whole new profundity. If a fifth dimension exists, Braids have discovered it. Speckled between songs were these primal transitions of noises and moans that somehow achieved melodic qualities and worked to keep up this illusion of a different state of being. This was certainly a concert that I lost myself in. While they played less than ten songs, three of them were new. “Peach Wedding,” to be released on October 10th as part of a split with Purity Ring, was among them. Their other new songs completely fulfilled my expectations. They were just as atmospheric and tremendous. At the show drew to a close, Raphaelle took the time to talk to the audience. She apologized for only playing seven songs, but claimed that they’re just “all so fucking long.” She was (perhaps surprisingly) charming, in an off-hand way. She won over my heart. Braids ended their show with a chilling rendition of my personal favorite, “Native Speaker.” Played live, the song is so delicate and vulnerable. As Raphaelle sings, she transfers all of her yearning onto you in the audience. You share this indescribable closeness. Somehow the sound is both around and inside you all at the same time. You swell with the vastness of it. During “Native Speaker,” I truly felt how invested the audience was in this show. Each and every person was hanging off of each crescendo and fall. It was a collective experience that I am failing to adequately describe. The conclusion of the show was met with so much appreciation and love. The audience cheered for a good five minutes until the band returned to the stage for an encore. They seemed genuinely shocked that we were rallying them for another song. The concert ended on an upbeat note, with a smile-inspiring performance of “Same Mum.” After that, I couldn’t leave the show without somehow feeling that I had been transformed and healed.
Check out their website here. Be sure to read their lyrics, it will only make you love them more.
Rock Ton Paintball avec Braids (Épisode 8) from Scène 1425 on Vimeo.
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