100 Shows of 2010 - #64: Dreamend @ DC9, 9/9/10

Man alive, we Terribles sure have been hitting a lot of shows together lately. I assure you, friends, this doesn't usually happen, and I have rather enjoyed this spate of quality time with my dear better blogging half. On yet another of our evenings together, we found ourselves being Terrible at DC9 (well, before I had to split to head to another show!). I did, however, manage to enjoy quite a delightful set by Dreamend, otherwise known as the brainchild of Ryan from Graveface (and Black Moth Super Rainbow). I'd heard scant little of Dreamend before this show (and managed to miss Ryan when he blew threw town months back with The Appleseed Cast), but hot damn if I wasn't totally swept off my feet! The songs might not sound as they do on record, but being a Gemini I appreciate a little of the musical schizophrenia. And when it sounds this good, well, who cares if the vibe is totally different. I sure don't.

MINI RECAP: Dreamend = Sassily Schizo! Overall Score: B+

My enjoyment began pretty much right after the dynamic duo (much like myself and Chris, obviously) stepped onto the stage. I immediately fell in smit with the live incarnation of Dreamend, all gorgeously ethereal ramblings with guitar and drums. I got a kind of Mogwai vibe, when the noisy Scots tread more delicately and not so destructively (think "New Paths to Helicon 1" etc.). And just as with Mogwai, the boys of Dreamend can get pretty dang aggro in a snap. But how cute was that little cartoon of those be-toga'd Romans (or Greeks, it's all in the interpretation)? Ryan was almost hiding behind his oversized hoodie and some equipment, letting the fuzz (and sometimes his lovely voice) let his presence be known. Pavement also sprang to my mind on certain songs, and when you remind a gal of Pavement and Mogwai in one set, well, you're doing mighty fine. Even more amazing were the shades of my beloved, dearly departed Brits Six By Seven (if you don't know of them, well, check out the brilliant song "European Me", because I heard a lot of it sprinkled hither and thither in this set). It only took about two songs to make me verily distressed to have missed the set back in April. But better late than never, so the saying goes.

A lot of two-person bands tend to throw their hats into the garage ring, but Dreamend waves the flag for fuzzodistortonoisiness, and I find that incredibly fantastic. The band also racked up major points for penning one of my favorite lyrics of the year, with the assertion, "I know just who you think you are". Classic. Dreamend was solid from start to finish, creating a glorious, enchanting dreamscape only to have it grounded by Ryan's perfectly imperfect voice and a swell of gigantic waves of sound. Totally, utterly bitchin.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the set, but lo and behold, Dreamend sunk my battleship. If you get the chance, go check 'em out for damn sure. Don't sleep on this band, or you might just be sorry.

mp3: Magnesium Light (Dreamend from So I Ate Myself, Bite By Bite)