Ever since I started playing Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band’s self-titled debut album, out now on Dead Oceans, I haven’t stopped listening it. Needless to say, I was stoked to hear the band would be touring the States in support of the stellar effort and would be stopping in my fair city before hitting South By Southwest (where I’m lucky enough to catch the five piece again) before continuing on their way opening for indie pop outfit Bishop Allen.
Openers Singsing and Marmar were totally wrong for the show. Their mellowed and boring indie rock was punctuated with great beats on two floor toms played by the band’s front man that made certain songs listenable, but the vocals left something to be desired and the overall set just dragged. It was a weak start to what I was expecting to be a high energy and fantastic show.
The basement gradually filled as Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band began to set up. I was disappointed that place was little more than half full for the band I’ve been addicted to for weeks, but so it goes, be it the not so stellar economy or the fact that it was a Thursday night. Either way, the Seattle based band turned in a solid performance featuring the eclectic mix that is their album. The entire band exhibited great energy and I was most impressed by the skills of young drummer Marshall Verdoes, adopted brother of front man Benjamin Verdoes. Keeping it in the family, Benjamin’s wife Traci provides jangling tambourines and silky and driving keyboard melodies all while moving around at a frantic pace.
With only one album under their belts, the band had have little wiggle room in regards to what to play, but they churned out a full range of danceable pop jams including my favorite track, “Going On A Hunt”, complete with group vocals and racing riffs, “Cheer For Fate” and “Anchors Dropped”. They culminated with the slightly more toned down “Albatross, Albatross, Albatross” and had the crowd fully pumped for headliners Bishop Allen, who turned out an equally danceable set full of lilting pop rock gems.
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - “Cheer for Fate”
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - “Anchors Dropped”
Tour Dates:
Mar 14 - Local 506 / Chapel Hill, NC
Mar 15 - Rocket Club / Asheville, NC
Mar 16 - Hi Tone Cafe / Memphis
Mar 17 - Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack / Little Rock
Mar 18 - House of Blues / Dallas
Mar 19 - The Mohawk / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 20 - Back Lot: Urban Outfitters / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 20 - Austin Convention Center / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 21 - The Palm Door / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 21 - Home Slice Pizza / Austin (SXSW)
Mar 22 - Plush / Tuscon
Mar 23 - The Troubadour / W. Hollywood
Mar 24 - Rickshaw Stop / San Francisco
Mar 26 - Kilby Court / Salt Lake City
Mar 27 - Velour / Provo, Ut.
Mar 28 - Hi Dive / Denver
Mar 29 - Jackpot Saloon / Lawrence
Mar 30 - Off Broadway / St. Louis
Mar 31 - Subterranean / Chicago
Apr 02 - Iron Horse / Northampton, Ma.
Apr 03 - Middle East Downstairs / Cambridge, Ma.
Apr 04 - Music Hall of Williamsburg / Brooklyn
Apr 05 - Bowery Ballroom / New York City
Apr 07 - Brillobox / Pittsburgh
Apr 08 - Bear's Place / Bloomington, In.
Apr 09 - Courtyard Cafe / Urbana, Il.
Apr 10 - Der Rathskeller / Madison
Apr 12 - 7th St. Entry / Minneapolis
Apr 13 - The Aquarium / Fargo
Apr 15 - The Badlander / Missoula
Apr 16 - Empyrean Coffee House / Spokane
Apr 18 - Doug Fir / Portland
May 23 - Sasquatch Festival / George, Wa.
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: myspace
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Reunited, and it feels so goooood.
