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Waiting to see The Morning Benders take the stage
at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium is much like the feeling
a mother gets before her child plays a piano recital; excitement and
fear. For those of you who haven't had the privilege of seeing a show
at the Ryman, the former home of the Grand Ole Opry consists of two
levels of church-like pews with vaulted ceilings, yielding unfathomable
acoustics and very intimate performances. After hearing The Morning
Bender's latest record Big Echo, it was easy to see why they
would be opening for someone as profound as The Black Keys;
however, even the Keys had shoes to fill at this venue.
Similar to that of Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, sweetheart
Chris Chu's voice was nothing shy of pristine as it effortlessly
pierced the silent auditorium. Playing to a mostly seated crowd as
others shuffled in, Chu definitely carried the band's energy as the
rest fought to catch up. Julian Harmon, drummer, was notably
tasteful as he aided in some solid breakdowns, and although struggling
to establish a similar presence, guitarist Jonathan Chu and
bassist Timothy Or helped to carry them through their set.
Despite the silent crowd and unavoidable pressure of being the opening
act in a legendary establishment, these West Coasters made it known
that they really have something going for them. The 'Benders played
songs from both of their albums, Talking Through Tin Cans and
Big Echo, ending with their most contagious hit "Excuses".
Built from looping harmonies and an effort to make the crowd sing
along, "Excuses" seemed like an entirely different sound.
Their energy reminded me of Weezer's momentous buildup in the
song "In The Garage" as the boys fell to their knees assuring
proper execution of their guitar breakdowns. Although wondering where
this chemistry had escaped throughout the beginning of the set, their
final song reassured me that like their record, they deserve to be
heard.
-Mackenzie Grosser
Photograph by Pete Nema
The Morning Benders
August 12, 2010
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
www.themorningbenders.com
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