by Camden Andrews

I like big concerts as much as anyone else, but there's something special about seeing a band play in a cramped, sweaty room. It has less to do with the sound quality, comfort or musicianship, and more to do with the atmosphere and overall experience of being a part of something so intimate. You can really feel the energy radiate between the crowd and the band when you're all packed together.

There were two concerts I looked forward to seeing last week. The big one was the Sonic Youth show, which we webcast live from the 9:30 Club — one of the largest and finest venues in all of Washington. The small one was a performance by Japandroids, an explosive rock duo we featured recently on All Songs Considered. They played at DC 9, a venue that can hold maybe 100 people.

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Sonic Youth performs at the 9:30 Club. (Photo by Shantel Mitchell)

The Sonic Youth show was probably the one concert I was looking forward to the most this summer. I've been a fan, for a while, of the band's innovative guitar work; the group has tons of great material to play, and its quarter-century of experience really shows onstage. As expected, it was an excellent performance. But the Japandroids show was more memorable.

 

It was really refreshing to see Japandroids play with so much spirit and energy, without taking itself so seriously. The music, from the band's new album Post Nothing, absolutely rocked — pure cathartic angst wrapped in playful sweetness, with everything cranked to 11. They played like two guys having a blast at a house party with all of their friends. At one point, they gave a guy in the front row money to buy them a beer, then dedicated a song to him ("Young Hearts Spark Fire," the highlight of the night). Later, singer-guitarist Brian King dedicated a "heavy jam to the guys," and encouraged guys to throw their shirts at drummer David Prowse. Someone actually did throw a shirt, which landed on Prowse's drum set. Prowse stopped playing and said, "Aw, come on, man; not the high-hat," and they just laughed it off and continued playing.

Here's a clip of Japandroids playing at The Cobalt Club in Vancouver, BC:

Great music can translate anywhere, but there's nothing like the experience of hearing a show in a room that's small enough to let you touch the band. Which do you prefer?