I've never liked Eisley. From the first time I saw them at Stubb's, I think during SXSW, I was completely underwhelmed by their lack of passion and anesthetized melodies, many of which are so similar they are barely distinguishable. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that their music isn't pretty; there's just much more to music than being pretty, like being interesting and alive. And while I give them props for getting out there and putting it all together at such a young age, that doesn't necessarily mean that I have to like what they've put together. Tonight's show was no exception. The band took stage with their frozen smiles and stiff demeanor and performed their set like some systematic routine. Their sedated harmonies oozed out over the audience with a hypnotic drone, which apparently completely captivated a large percentage of the crowd (once again proving that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go 'round). And the drummer! So passionless! He's like the little brother whose sisters forced him to be in a band with them, even though he didn't really want to. In an effort to liven the evening, I shouted out a request for "Mary Had A Little Lamb", but they ignored me. Damn. They don't even have a sense of humor. Oh well, at least I got some naptime in before the headlining act.

As for Snow Patrol, I had a hard time struggling with my bias for their older music. Not that I don't love the new album, Final Straw, but I miss frontman Gary Lightbody's trembling intimacy in the earlier music. It was innocent, fresh, and completely, unmistakably Snow Patrol. With the new material, I can't help but feel that with confidence and maturity they've also made a conscious decision to try to appeal to the U.S. market, perhaps exchanging their roots for a more professional gloss. Having said that, they are still the wonderful, beautiful Snow Patrol, and their live performance - my first after being a fan for six years - did not disappoint. After Eisley's numb performance, Snow Patrol was warm, lively, upbeat, and incredibly giving. Singing and playing with a kind of childlike joy, the guys emanated a true passion for making music. They mostly played songs from Final Straw (the highlights being "Gleaming Auction", "Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking", and "Ways and Means"), but they also visited their second album, When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up and "You Are My Joy", a song from their side project, the Reindeer Section. Although they played nothing from their debut, Songs For Polar Bears, they did encore with a B-side called "Post Punk Progression" and a hilarious cover of a song by Beyonce. Yup, these guys definitely have a sense of humor, and they know how to leave an audience wanting more.

- Emily Strong

Snow Patrol/Eisley
La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX
October 11, 2004

www.snowpatrol.net
www.eisley.com

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