ARTICLE BY: D. DUGUARD
STS9 10/8/11 Indianapolis
A cursory glance through the anxiously fidgeting crowd awaiting entrance to the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis sets the tone for the cool October night. Glow sticks, bright and mismatched colors, unusual hairstyles, and temporary tattoos make up the costumes of the night. One begins to wonder if a prize is awarded for the craziest dressed, or perhaps just an unspoken acknowledgement among peers. Regulars and curious new comers to the scene mix and attest to the musical and visual genius they are about to witness once the doors are finally unlocked. No matter how much or how little experience someone has at shows like this one, there is no elitism among the scene. Banalities aside, all are welcome and all are friends.
It is not unusual for a headlining band to open with an amateur and easily outshined act. After all, who would welcome the embarrassment of being outdone by lesser-known artists? However, that is obviously not the case with STS9. Even though a group stealing the show from Sound Tribe may be a statistical impossibility; they refuse to shy away from promoting acts of the highest caliber such as Pretty Lights, Ghostland Observatory, Big Gigantic, and, now, Archnemesis.
If the neon-riddled audience wasn’t already warmed up from the party on the street, Archnemesis sure did the trick—a pleasant surprise for those unacquainted to this duo. Archnemesis describes their sound with the self-coined term intelligent electro-crunk. Whatever your opinion is on groups concocting new sub-genres to individualize their acts, one cannot deny the intelligence behind the electro-crunk of Archnemesis. They kept the party moving as latecomers continued to pour in. Obviously, I downloaded the duo’s new album, People’s Radio, immediately after the show and I’m sure much of the audience did the same. However, their act did show signs of inexperience. They lacked a certain flow between songs and seemed uncomfortable with any sort of improvisation. I’m sure this will be ironed out as they continue to tour; either way, it didn’t take any enjoyment out of their show. Imperfection sometimes makes the music feel more real.
After everyone finished their much-needed smoke break outside, Sound Tribe finally took the stage. The set list for this night comprised of tracks ranging from the Peaceblaster album to Ad Explorata, their most recent album. If they played tracks from any of their other studio albums (ten in all) then I was too busy dancing with everyone else to take notice. I reserve such claims for more dedicated fans. The show flowed seamlessly from metal-esque moments, inspiring head banging and high-fives all around, to more chill moments of symphonic bliss. STS9 knows how to read the audience and always gives what is needed. Their “hit and retreat” technique of testing out where to venture next seems never to fail. At times it seems the band is teasing the audience, sampling fresh jams and feeling everyone’s reactions. You don’t even realize they’re doing it until BAM…you are locked in and there is nothing in the world that could tear you from the moment. One thing is for sure, nobody ever stood still throughout the band’s two sets.
There are many things one may say about Sound Tribe Sector 9. Sure, they have their own record label: 1320 Records. Yeah, they are politically active with organizations like the Make It Right Foundation and the Conscious Alliance. And don’t forget, they headline major festivals and sell-out amphitheaters and opera houses across the nation. Nevertheless, their humble nature is possibly this band’s greatest and most admirable achievement in light of such accomplishments. There is no stage diving, no shocking and/or disgusting theatrics, and no look-at-me antics of any kind involved in a Sound Tribe show. Similarly, there is no leader or front man; every member’s talents are showcased to the fullest. In fact, the band is completely silhouetted for the majority of the show by a waterfall of light and sound that inspires near-religious experiences as it constantly washes over the audience. Every show this band plays is about the same two things—community and music, nothing more and, more importantly, nothing less.
The Tribe has masterfully combined the rock attitude of “we’re not gonna take it” with the supposedly failed hippie notions of togetherness and sharing. Nobody is afraid to share a smoke or a dramatically over-priced bottle of water with the stranger dancing next to them. Which is actually the only criticism I can come up with for the entire evening. Four bucks for a bottle of water? I mean… seriously? Anyway, if you find yourself wondering, “is rock dead?” The answer is a resounding, “hell no!” For it has simply evolved into the post-rock dance music of the great Sound Tribe Sector 9. If you have yet to see them play, then you should probably get on top of that.
