Karnivool – Show Review @ The Quarter

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Written by: Lancifer
Karnivool @ The Quarter, Baltimore MD 03/30/2010

Arriving at The Quarter, I was under the impression that I was going to see Karnivool open for Fair To Midland.  Being a huge fan of both bands, I was okay with that.  I soon learned that it was Fair to Midland however, that would be opening for Karnivool.  Would this be better?  It’s hard to say.  Is it better to eat your dessert before a great meal?  In either case, it’s a win-win situation.  Knowing that Karnivool was here from Australia, therefore not as likely to make as many frequent tours in the US, I think things worked out for the best.

Fair To Midland did a great job at warming the stage up for Karnivool.  The first time I saw Fair To Midland was when they opened for Serj Tankian a couple years ago, after signing on with Serjical Strike Records.  As before when seeing them, I was just fascinated with watching their stage performance.  Plenty of new material was performed, hopefully hinting at a new album sometime in the near future.

Karnivool – Set Fire To The Hive by IndieRockReviews

Karnivool is huge in Australia.  If you’ve seen the video online of them performing in front of an ever-extending sea of people at Australia’s Big Day Out festival, you would probably be shocked to see them performing in front of a relatively small crowd of people at a bar in Baltimore.  Of course in such a setting, a stage setup has to be scaled back significantly, so it’s no surprise that a stripped down show with just the members of Karnivool and their instruments were the extent of the performance.  Given such a performance however just added to the intimate setting in which the crowd was able to see this brilliant band focus on the intricate details of their music.

Selections from both albums, Themata and Sound Awake made the set list for the evening.  Often, band’s live performances are compared to how their studio albums sound, and though there are benefits for similarities and differences, Karnivool is equally as precise live.  Considering the size of the crowd, having a place right up near the stage allowed me to see the music being played, as opposed to just the movement of their bodies.  Each guitar string that Andrew Goddard strummed, and each fret that was compressed, seemed to add to the appreciation that I already had for these brilliant musicians.  There is a lot of debate as to whether Karnivool is considered progressive rock or not, and I myself don’t know exactly how I might describe them.  Karnivool has so much depth to their sound, and tracks that are layered with complex melodies and rhythms, topped off with the amazing vocals from Ian Kenny.  They deserve a listen by anyone who appreciates rock, in order to make up their own mind as to what they might be. Kenny has a stage presence unlike anything I’ve seen before.  At first glance, the thick black-rimmed glasses cast questions as to if this is the man singing on the albums.  Once he gets started, there’s no question, as he sings each word with emotion.  Seemingly worried less about a rock star appearance than making his equal contribution to the band, frequent smiles confirm that it’s something he truly loves.  I’m not one for singing along with groups, as I don’t go to a concert to listen to the crowd or myself, but seeing the satisfaction on his face as a large portion of the crowd sang the lyrics I couldn’t be upset.

It still blows my mind that Karnivool hasn’t made as big of an impact here in the states as in their homeland Australia, but perhaps it’s only a matter of time.  Sound Awake is definitely an album that could convert some new fans, and hopefully with a quick tour around the states they can get the word spread of their musicianship.  For anyone looking for a show that focuses on the music as opposed to an image, this would definitely be the tour to see, as Karnivool and Fair to Midland continue on through the states for the next couple weeks.

Read our Karnivool Sound Awake Album Review