Communiqué (Bottom of the Hill, 9 January 2005)

Minus a handful of exceptions, local bands seem to disappoint me. I guess it all started in high school in San Diego when this band called FITH (i.e. Fucked In The Head - dumb ass name!)played at the high school talent show. Consisting of high schoolers and some recent graduates, the band was a direct knock off of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Unfortunately, they weren't as good as those bands, and they were just downright dreadful. I gave local bands another try throughout the years, all with utter disappointment and disgust.

So, when Jason told me to check out Communiqué, a local band, my skepticism immediately started. I was hesitant to see this band because: (1) they were local and (2) they opened up for a handful of major acts that came to San Francisco and I missed all their appearances on purpose because of (1). Since I had nothing better to do that night other than watch Desparate Housewives and Jason guaranteed to me that they were going to be good, I bought my ticket and checked them out.

Before going to the show, I bought the band's EP, A Crescent Moon, and gave it a listen. I was impressed by their sound, since it was very melodic indie rock. Some of the tracks reminded me of The Killers, solely because of the accompanying keyboards in some of the tracks.

Jason's excitement for this show was very amusing, insisting that we go to the front. I acquiesced and was not disappointed. I don't know the titles to most of the songs they did, but the ones I did know, such as "Evaporate," were surprisingly good. The band weren't "spring chickens" by any means. They were tight in their song playing, provided a really hyper stage presence, and the lead singer would sometimes place his left arm on his back - sort of like how Brett Anderson of Suede would do. The chords were really catchy, although the lyrics were a bit simplistic. Lyrics really never bothered me, since I'm more of a catchy tunes person myself. They were rockin' on all their songs, including their encore. The crowd were hopping and some were dancing maniacally. They definitely wanted more after their encore (although a majority of those were their friends). Needless to say, I wanted to see more of what these guys can do.

Sure they can play a crowd, but can they headline? With one album and one EP under their belts, they definitely need some more material to provide a more meaningful headlining act (their set lasted 45 minutes). Based on what I saw, they could be a fantastic opening band for any indie show. This headliner show they had proved that they can headline and have the music to prove it.

A great show. One of the surprising ones of the year thus far.

Beer Rating: 2.5 Beers