Live Review: Beauty Pill @ Black Cat, 4/29/17

Intrepid mysterious Special Guest Star The Paper went in search of good live sounds, and the following is what transpired when he took in Beauty Pill at the Black Cat.

"Trust me, in twenty minutes you will be happy."

That was Chad's response to the unison of disappointed groans after he announced the band's last song. The soft-spoken frontman of Beauty Pill left an impression on me even if I am still unclear of its shape or depth. As a longtime resident of the DC suburbs, I felt remiss at having never seen the local outfit live before, or even really listening to their music. I finally corrected my oversight on the last Saturday of April. I should have done it sooner.

Chad and the other seasoned members constructed a wholly unique sound that reminded me of my first exposure to Sigur Ros. It took me years to appreciate the Icelandic post-rock band because I severely lacked true concepts of music at the time. Or art for that matter. I think of it like dressage, where the subtle finess and talent exhibited so beautifully is lost on those unfamiliar with the techniques of the sport. Fortunately, I know much more about music than dressage, and by now know enough to understand that the world is richer with Chad's experimental creations in it.

This is most evident when Chad shared the background on a particular song. He spent years writing the ending, wanting it to be tragic and dark because it's a Beauty Pill song, but he finally realized that it wanted a happy ending. His expression conveyed the delight of someone making an unexpected discovery. "There's a ray of hope," he added after a pause.

Indeed, I hope to discover more bands like Beauty Pill. Expanding my musical horizons is important to me, and ought to be important to us all.  

[words and photos of Beauty Pill by The Paper]

[posted 5.14.17]