popwreckoning » Rick Boardman http://popwreckoning.com without music, life would be a mistake. Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:15:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Delphic @ Liberation Dance Party, DC9, Washington DC http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/10/delphic-liberation-dance-party-dc9-washington-dc/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/10/delphic-liberation-dance-party-dc9-washington-dc/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:28:12 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=29128

Before electrorock and dance outfit were a household name in Britain, they were notorious for staging well-received and well-attended illegal raves in their hometown, made possible by a portable generator owned by their touring drummer . Friday night at DC9′s proved that despite more mainstream success at home, playing more traditional venues, the band can still put on a rave that wows clubgoers. Their DC appearance on the 8th of October was the only headlining gig during their entire stay on our side of the pond this autumn, mostly providing support to Australian band .

“Clarion Call” is the first track on the band’s debut album, Acolyte, and it’s truly a monster in disguise. It is the perfect song to being a set, as it starts out modestly enough with a very chill vibe but then it quickly builds into a massive wave of sound that is Delphic‘s forte. The trio have said in numerous interviews that having watched other bands perform and lose momentum between songs by dedicating songs to a girlfriend or telling a story. The DC9 set indicated Delphic still believe this, barely allowing themselves a breath between one song and the next. The result ? The energy level was way up on their side of things as well as on the audience’s side. The manic reaction that night had to have been the best of all Liberation Dance Party shows I’ve seen so far: girls were dancing like they just didn’t care, and guys were pumping their fists in the air to encourage the band on. It was quite a sight.

Upon conclusion, “Doubt,” with its lively vowel beginning and engaging chorus, morphed into the ultimate rave-up of “Red Lights,” a personal favorite of one of my close friends. To be honest, who wouldn’t fall for a song that has lyrics like “I put my heart into your hands” and “I’d risk a second broken heart for you“? Critics often complain that electronic dance music has no soul. Obviously, these people have never heard Delphic before. Singer/bassist , upon seeing the effect “Red Lights” had on the Washington crowd, gingerly asked with a smile, “DC9, how are you doing? Are you ready to dance? Because now is the time to dance.” With those fateful words, he and the band unleashed an insane sequence of synth programming that further pumped up the crowd. Wow.

By this time, Delphic had everyone – and I mean everyone – at DC9 jumping, dancing, or a combination of the two, just really going for it. I couldn’t have been more pleased for these three guys who wanted to make a record on their own terms, writing and recording music that really meant something to them. Having a crowd reaction like this, especially on this side of the Atlantic where they are not known in the mainstream yet, must be incredible validation, and it is completely deserved.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint one highlight of the evening because you could just tell by the way Cook smiled and guitarist , keyboardist , and Hadley attacked their respective instruments that Delphic brought it. “Acolyte,” the title track of their debut album, is their 9-minute, mostly instrumental opus with snatches of heavenly vocals from Cook and Boardman. It is an incredible rush of euphoria live and the perfect way to end a set if there ever was one – percussion, synths, and guitars meld together for an atmospherically complex yet astonishing piece.

After the song was over, Delphic departed from the stage amid a crush of well wishers and cheering fans. Compere , who has to be given much credit for booking the Manchester band for the night, appeared onstage to say with a shocked look on his face, “O.M.G. How did Liberation Dance Party get Delphic? I want more Delphic. Do you?” He paused and received the applause he was waiting for. “They’re telling me no.” Audible audience disappointment. But Spieler remained hopeful. “Maybe they’ll come out and dance with you.” My thoughts? I just want Delphic to make another appearance at DC9, and soon.

Set List
Clarion Call
Doubt
Red Lights
This Momentary
Halcyon
Counterpoint
Acolyte


Oct 11 – St. Andrews / Detroit*
Oct 12 – Metro / Chicago*
Oct 13 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee*
Oct 14 – First Avenue / Minneapolis*
Oct 16 – Capital Festival / Mexico City
Oct 21 – Popscene / San Francisco&
Oct 22 – Fox / Pomona, CA*
Oct 23 – Club Nokia / Los Angeles*
* supporting the Temper Trap
& with

a-delphic1 b-delphic2 c-delphic3 d-delphic4 e-delphic5 f-delphic6 g-delphic7 h-delphic8 i-delphic9

Delphic: website | myspace | American Release Details of Delphic EP | Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia | with: Matt Cocksedge of Delphic, Part 1, Part 2 | @ House of Blues, Boston

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/10/delphic-liberation-dance-party-dc9-washington-dc/feed/ 0 The Temper Trap with Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands @ House of Blues, Boston http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/07/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-house-of-blues-boston/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/07/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-house-of-blues-boston/#comments Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:00:58 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=28977

After getting beaten up in a highly unexpected mosh pit at a small club show on the outskirts of Boston the night before and making a hasty retreat from that mess, I was actually looking forward to seeing a show at the the next night. I’d heard mixed reviews for the House of Blues and their many outposts scattered across the U.S. – huge places with overzealous security and little atmosphere was the consensus. So after a fun night at the Philly Trocadero 3 days earlier, I wasn’t expecting much from the -sponsored Temper Trap show Wednesday night.

Security at the House of Blues was professional and courteous. Maybe it was my photo pass but everyone I encountered at the venue was super nice. And I didn’t get patted down like I was in Philly, so I didn’t feel violated. Once inside on the ground level, I gasped as I looked around. The place is massive (twice as big as the Trocadero, with room for 2,400) but it’s beautiful and breathtaking. Helpful security inside advised, “watch your step, ladies,” as there are several steps to negotiate. Well lit, well stocked bars and clearly marked restrooms on this floor – definite pluses. While I was waiting for the show to start I got to talking to two kids from the local ; it was really cool to talk to “the young people” and hear their appreciation for the Temper Trap’s music. I also advised them to invest in a good set of earplugs, which turned out to be an excellent suggestion given that this was the House of Blues and the size of the speakers hanging from the ceiling should have immediately told you that the gig that night was going to be loud.

It is really cool to see how bands get more at ease after the first night of a tour. , while being only two people on an expansive stage, sounded better on the House of Blues’s state of the art sound system than they did in Philly. Lead singer was visibly more confident as well, smiling broadly as the audience not familiar with their music politely clapped between songs. Guitarist looked like he was having a ball on stage, strumming on one of his two guitars.

Highlights were “Lovesick (Once Again)” and “Young Aren’t Young,” showing me yet again the understated beauty of Everdell’s voice. Unfortunately they didn’t play “Gold Blood,” one of my favorite tracks from their self-titled debut album released on last month. By the end of the set, the duo had already won some new fans, as evidenced by the people who shouted in displeasure when Everdell announced their sixth and final song. Great to see people responding to them.

Once the Hundred in the Hands‘ equipment was removed from the stage, it was time for to set up their gear, which is a lot. Standard drum kit and guitars but a couple synths and electronic drum pad setups as well. This is a band that has played to thousands at so I didn’t think the bigger stage (compared to the Trocadero’s) would faze them. And I don’t think it did, really. Singer/bassist looked more poised and his voice sounded better than ever. Multi-instrumentalist , guitarist , and touring drummer were completely on.

The problem was the audience. They never really got into the music and generally just looked bored for both support bands, all waiting (impatiently looking at their mobile phones, I might add) for the Temper Trap. There was no fist pumping or rampant dancing like Sunday night in Philly. (It should be noted that the venue was pretty empty at the start of the night and it wasn’t until shortly before the Temper Trap were due on that the floor filled out.) Too bad, their loss. There was one girl who talked to me after the show who said she was going to buy Acolyte in a music shop as soon as she could, so I was pretty happy about that.

It’s been over a year since I first heard “Counterpoint” on Radio, and I’ve had Acolyte for a long time now, listening to it constantly, so I know all the words on the album. I like to sing in general and this spills over into shows too, so you can imagine this is potentially embarrassing at gigs. But when I did sing, Cook looked my way a couple times and smiled, as if acknowledging this dubious mastery. Haha. Also, I got my wish for “Submission,” my favorite song from Acolyte, and maybe it was the echoes in the huge venue, but the vocal key sounded a bit off. Maybe they are a little rusty after having a couple weeks off between gigs, but I imagine this will wear off after some more gigs stateside. (As of this writing I’ve already read some great comments about their set from the New York and Montreal shows that followed.) I’m looking forward to seeing them in DC in a few days.

Delphic Set List
Clarion Call
Doubt
Red Lights
This Momentary
Submission
Halcyon
Counterpoint

It is a real joy to watch the Temper Trap at this stage of their career. When the well-oiled Temper Trap machine gets fired up, hold on tight, because you’re in for a wild ride. “Fader” was the first Temper Trap song I learned on bass, so it holds special meaning to me, but wow, when it’s offered up to fans live, it’s like a explosion of energy. With its jangly guitar riffs and emotional lyrics, the Melbourne band’s power ballad “Love Lost” is going ensure their place in popular music history. I’m not one to get emotional at gigs, but I have to say that this song brought me to tears. It’s just perfect.

It was fun to witness the thrill of fans who had waited to see their current favorite band. I was surprised to learn that of everyone I talked to, I seemed to be the only one who’d seen them before. One woman came with her boyfriend and requested that he catch her if she fainted when appeared. (She didn’t faint, I’m happy to report. But she was so animated after the gig, she was practically glowing with excitement, chattering away on how great they were.) The students I mentioned before were waiting for their favorite song, “Down River,” and with its fun chorus that got everyone singing along, they weren’t disappointed.

Part of me wishes that the Temper Trap would mix things up, because Wednesday night in Boston was the fourth time I’ve seen and heard that exact same set list this year. I can’t imagine it being too difficult to change song order, because it’s not like they have complicated synth setups like their two openers. But really, how can you complain when they put on such an amazing show, night after night? Cheers guys.

The Temper Trap Set List
introduction
Rest
Fader
Fools
Down River
Love Lost
Soldier On
Sweet Disposition
Resurrection
Drumming Song
//
Rabbit Hole
Science of Fear

(dates with all three bands except those noted)
Oct 07 – Newport Music Hall / Columbus
Oct 08 – DC9 / Washington, DC^
Oct 09 – Austin City Limits / Austin*
Oct 09 – MOTR Club / Cincinnati%
Oct 11 – St. Andrews / Detroit
Oct 12 – Metro / Chicago
Oct 13 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee
Oct 14 – First Avenue / Minneapolis
Oct 18 – Crocodile / Seattle%
Oct 19 – Woods / Portland%
Oct 21 – Popscene / San Francisco&
Oct 22 – Fox / Pomona, CA
Oct 23 – Club Nokia / Los Angeles
^ Delphic only
* the Temper Trap only (festival appearance)
% the Hundred in the Hands only
& Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands only

a-HOB-bos1 b-HOB-bos2 b-HOB2-bos3 b1-hundredinthehands1 b2-hundredinthehands2 b3-hundredinthehands3 b4-hundredinthehands4 e-delphic1 f-delphic2 g-delphic3 h-delphic4 i-delphic5 j-delphic6 k-delphic7 l-delphic8 m-delphic9 n-delphic10 o-thetempertrap1 p-thetempertrap2 q-thetempertrap3 r-thetempertrap4 s-thetempertrap5 t-thetempertrap6 u-thetempertrap7

The Temper Trap: website | myspace | @ 9:30 Club | @ Bonnaroo 2010, Day 1 | The Temper Trap Announce August-October North American Tour with Delphic and The Hundred in the Hands | @ Showbox at the Market | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia
Delphic: website | myspace | American Release Details of Delphic EP | Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia | with: Matt Cocksedge of Delphic, Part 1, Part 2
The Hundred in the Hands: website | myspace | ‘Pigeons’ takes flight with Foals’ remix | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/07/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-house-of-blues-boston/feed/ 0 Interview with: Matt Cocksedge of Delphic (Part 2) http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/05/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-2/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/05/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-2/#comments Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:00:27 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=28770

In the second half of my with ‘s guitarist, the incredibly thoughtful , we talk more about how album #2 is going to differ from their debut album Acolyte, and Matt tells me his personal philosophy on being a guitarist. We even chat about their Irish mates Two Door Cinema Club in my attempt to persuade them to come back and do a co-headlining tour in the States together next year. (Time will tell if I was successful…)

Part 1 of this interview can be accessed here.

Matt Cocksedge, Delphic: It’s very strange, being in a band and writing intensely personal stuff and then giving it to the public, and it’s not yours anymore, you know? It’s theirs. It’s there for them to interpret as they like, and it’s there for them to believe in or destroy. And you just kind of have to go with it. And it’s definitely difficult to get used to. Now we know a little more about what it’s about, we know how it goes and we’ve been there, and we know we’ve made a record and we can do it, we’ve got a bit more belief in ourselves and more of an idea of who we are and what we want to do. It’s an exciting time in Camp Delphic! We’re very much looking to the future. It’s very weird saying all this, having coming to tour America for the first time, it’s bizarre. It’s like, “Hi! We’re here supporting a band in America on our first tour, and we’re looking forward to writing our second album!” Considering our album only just came out…bizarre!
Mary Chang, PopWreckoning: It’s good! Maybe it’s my personal observation with how much music I get sent, but there’s seems an oversaturation of the new generation of bands coming out of Britain. And there’s no way , or , or anyone else can keep up with everyone. As a blogger I think you do get jaded because there are so many bands to assess. Do you feel that there’s pressure to come out with a second album quickly, because you worry you might get lost in the shuffle as new bands come up? Maybe you can tell me more about how the recording process is going for Delphic album #2.
MC: We’re doing bits and bobs in our studio [back in ] and building up ideas, but we’re really approaching it differently than the first record. The first record was very much built up at our studio at home and was very layered and detailed. By the time we went to the [recording] studio, we knew basically how the songs were going to turn out and exactly what they would sound like and all that, whereas for this one, we kind of want to leave more to chance and be more open before we get to the studio. We want to play together more in the studio and then take it on a more natural band angle, rather than building it up in a studio environment. And yeah, there is definitely that feeling of pressure. You know, there isn’t that luxury that bands used to have of doing the first record, going on tour, maybe taking 18 months, 2 years to write, record, and release the second record. That time’s gone. The public’s attention span is so short, and that’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because bands can’t get lazy. But it’s bad, it’s changed the way music is digested, it’s changed the way bands have to approach writing and touring. And their releases. And we’re kind of part of a generation of bands that needs to keep writing and recording and releasing and touring and writing and doing that to establish a fanbase, establish some sort of place within the whole thing. But for us personally, we just want to write the next album because we’ve got ideas and we’re inspired to do it, we want to get it out there. We don’t want to go on a holiday for 6 months, we don’t want to stop doing this and we don’t want to keep touring endlessly. We are very much like, “right, this is the first record, we achieved a certain amount [of success and fame] with that, but there’s so much more we want to do.” We don’t want to play the same songs for another year. And this is our first tour of the U.S., properly, and so where are we? We’re in September, 2010? Most of these songs were written like in 2008. Some of them were written at the end of 2007.
PW: So are we looking at a 2012 release then [for album #2]?
MC: Hopefully! I think, maybe sooner if we’re able to.
PW: I guess it depends on touring commitments and if you’re even home long enough to do anything.
MC: We’re excited, we have a lot of ideas and are really keen as soon we get back from America, we’ve got a few more gigs, got four or five gigs, but once that’s done, we’re straight into rehearsals for the second album. Straight into that. And we’re really…that’s the most exciting thing, we don’t want to stop. We’re doing something we really love doing. We’re not going to take it for granted. We want to just work on it and get better. We just can’t wait to, you know…as much fun as this has been in the United States, I don’t want to put that down, I’m just saying that we’re so excited to kind of see what happens next, and see where it takes us, and see where we go with it. We got into a band to write music and make albums, you know? And to be given the chance to do that is the most incredible thing. We feel incredibly lucky to be able to do it, and we want to do it to the best of our ability. And we’ll see how that goes. We’ll wait and see. [smiles]
PW: It should be interesting to see how this one turns out, with the different approach.
MC: Definitely, definitely!
PW: I know I’m definitely looking forward to it! And a lot of people are.

PW: Since I am a writer, I would like to know who in Delphic comes up with the song titles and who writes the lyrics?
MC: Emmm…the whole thing is a very collaborative process. Everything – music, lyrics, videos, art, all that stuff is very much the three of us. We won’t let anything through that not all three of us are behind, you know? It’s one of those things where everything we do is Delphic, it’s not “Matt from Delphic,” or James or Rick from Delphic. It’s the band. Well, magicians should never reveal their secrets, should they? [smiles]
PW: [laughs] I was just curious because every band has their own little story [on how they come up with lyrics]. The most unusual one I’ve heard is of , who came in second in the BBC Sound of 2009 poll. Bassist of White Lies writes the lyrics for guitarist to sing. Interesting, yet it must be weird singing about someone else’s experiences. Do you find when you’re writing lyrics it becomes an emotional thing? Because it’s been amazing to talk to other Delphic fans and hear what they’ve gotten out of your song lyrics. Different people get different things out of music. Coming from the writer’s perspective, I like to look at lyrics closely and interpret them. Are there any particular songs on the album that are especially personal to you?
MC: All of the songs are very personal to me. Definitely. And you know, it’s strange when you write something and then someone else is expressing it. And it’s also interesting, because you get the opportunity to see another interpretation of it almost immediately. I think a lot of what we wrote on the first album, lyrically, was open to interpretation, and purposely so. I mean, yeah, it’s personal, but I think one of the great things about music is that it’s your thing. We’ve written this album, but it’s your album. All of the experiences of listening to it, you’ll never share the same experiences that someone else has when they listen to the album. But that’s amazing, that it can be so personal. I like that people can read into things and take different things from it, and that’s fine. But there’s always going to be what it means to you, and it’s always going to be that personal thing. But certainly now I don’t think we want to impose that on the audience. We have a thing of what it means to us, but the audience…I wouldn’t want to say anyone’s interpretation of our music is wrong or inaccurate.
PW: Morrissey has been asked many times to explain, “what does this particular song mean?” and he has said, I don’t want to say what it means to me, because music means different things to different people.
MC: Definitely. I’d hate to destroy anyone’s idea of something. Someone could think one of our songs is a really romantic song, when actually it’s about trying to get away from someone. It’s like …
PW: [laughs] Yes yes!
MC/PW: [at the same time] “Every Breath You Take”!
MC: Some people have that as a wedding song. And it’s a stalker song, you know? [both of us laugh] For that reason, it’s nice for people to have their own interpretation. And not be too clinical about it.

PW: So how long have you been playing guitar?
MC: Since I was about…hmmm…shit, I don’t remember. 14 or 15 maybe?
PW: Wow.
MC: When was OK Computer? Was that 1997 or 1999? [It was released in June 1997.]
PW: Not sure, it seems like so long ago now! When did you get into synths? Was that before Delphic?
MC: Me and Rick had always been messing around with synths. His dad built a synth once. His dad was always into cool music. [I don't know 's dad personally but from what I have heard about him, he is probably the coolest dad ever.]
PW: That is like the coolest thing, ever.
MC: He’s very cool, very cool. If you ever get to meet him, you’d like him.
PW: All I can say is, all of your families seem so cool. For example, James’s parents. How is it possible they let him move to Manchester and never made him move back home? [ is from , England, a town west of London, but moved to Manchester years ago for university.] My parents would have never let me do that.
MC: Oh, you should come over for a course. That’s what James did, he came up to Manchester for uni and just stayed here. And they were cool about it.
PW: But then he stayed. Forever! There’s never been a reason for him to go back?
MC: Manchester, it’s a better place than Chippenham. Not to slag off Chippenham, I have been to Chippenham, but Manchester is better than Chippenham.
PW: What’s Chippenham like?
MC: It’s a smallish town out in . Lots of countryside, there’s no scene there. Yeah, we were into synths, and he had a Juno 60 that we messed about with, and that was fun. But yeah, I was much more into guitars and effects pedals. I like synths but I’m one of those people who doesn’t really bother with algorithms. And chains and stuff like that. I like to sit down at a synth and fiddle about, and I let my ears guide me to the sound.
PW: So are Rick and James more of the technicians on that side of things?
MC: Very much, yeah yeah. They’ll talk about sound waves and I understand that stuff, but it doesn’t interest me. I don’t care about the calculations and the technical specifications of sound. I just care about the sound hitting me and expressing something. And that’s the way I operate. And I think it’s kind of good to have that in the band. Like those guys can get technical about it and then I can come in and say, “that just sounds like shit.” [laughs] “But it’s got this amazing sound wave function on it!” And it’s like, I’m not bothered.
PW: “It’s not doing a thing for me.”
MC: Yeah, “make it sound better.”
PW: Now is it because of their university backgrounds that they know all this stuff about synths?
MC: I dunno, maybe?
PW: Weren’t they studying music?
MC: Well, it wasn’t straight music. It was recording and popular music. I think they took something from that, but they just both researched the synth thing and really got into it. And that’s their area. I was quite happy to let them have that. It’s like, just let me buy effects pedals and I’m happy! That’s fine. And in the studio, it’s good to have an outside perspective on these kinds of things. I think it’s always important to have that objectivity. I’ve not spent 3 hours finely tuning a synth and I’m not involved in that side of things, so I can have that kind of objective view. And say, “look, I appreciate it, it’s a good sound, it’s got a lot of technical merit to it, but does it fit? Is it right? Does it work?” Sometimes it’s yes and sometimes it’s no. It goes both ways, like with the guitars. We’re each other’s critics and friends and compatriots, so it varies…I’ve left them to it, I’ve gotten more into it over time but…
PW: I know in the live setting you play synth, for example during most of “Doubt.”
MC: Yeah, on a couple of things. But it’s a functional thing. I just enjoy, like “Epherema,” that kind of tremolo-ey sound in that song, that was the result of me sitting in a room for 6 hours messing around with guitar effects and getting that right. And that’s what I love doing. And that works in that context. The last line of “Acolyte,” that’s more of a Rick and James kind of area, and that all happens together. Whatever makes the best song, and what sounds good.

PW: What I really love about Delphic is that you have this perfect marriage of good guitar riffs with good synth melodies. Great guitar bands have great guitar riffs, and then some of them try to introduce the synth into the mix and have trouble integrating them into their sound. It ends up becoming a plinky plonky thing in the background that does not belong. Or guitars are added to synth pop bands and the guitars sound out of place. Whereas you guys, you have everything integrated well. For example, “Halcyon” and the guitar solo. I’ve given this a lot of thought this year, I put the question out to people, if you had to be reincarnated as a part of a song, what would you be and why?
MC: If I had to be reincarnated as part of a song?
PW: Yeah, and it couldn’t be a whole song, it had to be one disparate part of a song. And I said your “Halcyon” guitar solo.
MC: Wow! I am very honored!
PW: With the runner-up of the guitar lines in the verse of “What You Know,” played by Sam Halliday of Two Door Cinema Club.
MC: I like Sam.
PW: Both of you are amazing guitarists.
MC: I think he’s better than me.
PW: You think?
MC: He’s good! Really good. [smiles]
PW: Don’t tell him that, because I saw that video of you guys in and the band war. [And as Matt says, watch this video clip with a grain of salt.]
MC: Yeah… [laughs] They made us do that! We were just having a laugh and one of them said, “Delphic and Two Door war!” And it’s like, “oh no…” We’re real mates!
PW: They know you’re messing, surely.
MC: Yeah, but it’s like what we were saying earlier, about band rivalry and stuff like that. You don’t want it to cross over to anything that is actually serious in that way. We admire Two Door very much. We’re such a very different band to Two Door that there can’t be a rivalry, really. Who we appeal to in our kind of market is so different to theirs. There’s no rivalry there. We just think they’re great guys who write good songs. The rest of it is just banter. But yeah…it’s an interesting question, really, I’m going to have to give this some more thought.

PW: Having played guitar for so many years, was there one song that made you think, “yes, I’m definitely going to be a guitarist“?
MC: I don’t think there as a song that generally made me want to be a guitarist, but my favorite guitar solo of all time is what I’d probably want to be reincarnated as, it’s the solo for “Sympathy for the Devil” [Rolling Stones]. The sound is incredible, it just screams, it’s such a real, organic sound. It speaks to you. In terms of the actual line, the guitar solo, I just love the restraint. Is it Keith [Richards] doing that solo, or not?
PW: I would think so. Who else could it be?
MC: Right right, I just wanted to make sure. [smiles]
PW: Don’t worry, I won’t tell my best buds, the Rolling Stones. [laughs] ‘cos me and Mick are like this.
MC: “Sympathy for the Devil” is one of the greatest songs of all time, a 6-minute epic. He’s got x bars to do a solo in, and what does he do? He’s really minimal, like [mimics the guitar solo]. But my absolute favorite part of it, if I can be even more specific, is within the solo. There’s a part of the solo…you know, he does these really great parts that really scream at you, the amp sounds incredible. And there’s a bit where he goes “dum da dum dum” [really simple, bare part of the solo], and that’s it. You’ve got a solo for “Sympathy for the Devil.” And all you do is play a note like a child. Anybody could do it. But it’s just perfect. I think that’s what’s important about playing guitar. For me personally, it’s not an ego thing, it’s not a “look at me” kind of thing, I never ask for the solos, I never want solos in a song. I get all nervous!
PW: Really? I never would have figured you would feel that way.
MC: Yeah, I get really worried about it!
PW: Should I tell people not to look at you when you’re playing the solo in “Halcyon”? [laughs]
MC: We had to do . [You can watch the video below. Matt's amazing guitar solo starts in at 3.05.] Honestly, I was so scared for weeks before. Every night before I went to bed I would be playing it in my head. Honestly, so nervous. So I never ask for the solos. For me personally, playing guitar is adding to the track and just being part of the track, and if the best thing for the song is to play one note, then that’s just as valid as being Slash and having huge guitar solos going up and down the neck doing all the technical shit you want to do. For me, it’s about feeling and emotion and doing something different that fits into the song.
PW: Your guitar is beautiful, I think it’s gorgeous.
MC: Thank you!

PW: When I saw you at , the lighting was amazing. Is your lighting guy, Squib Swain, with you on this tour?
MC: Sadly, no. Yeah, he’s brilliant.
PW: I hope when you come back next time he’ll come with you.
MC: So do we. It’ s really weird doing shows without him. He’s become such an integral part of our shows and what we do. We always like to try and do something interesting with the lights and audiovisual experience, it’s always kind of weird when Squib is not along. But we want him back, we miss him. He’s actually out with Two Door [in the UK] at the moment…
PW: [laughs] Really? What are you guys going to do if you tour the same time? Bidding war?
MC: He gets paid double! But if we’re playing together…
PW: Yeah, come back and do a co-headlining tour with them!
MC: That would be great, wouldn’t it? Really nice.
PW: Yes, I have been talking with new friends in Hong Kong, they all want you back.
MC: Oh really? Awww.
PW: They were all saying that it was the best day of their lives when you and Two Door played together back in August. I was thinking, your two bands need to come back together and tour as co-headliners in America so there aren’t any arguments.
MC: Yeah, no, I would happily support Two Door.
PW: No, I need to hear “Submission” and the only way I’d get that is if you headlined. Right?
MC: How’s this, we will support Two Door and still play “Submission.” I am more than happy to do that.
PW: Are you playing “Submission” on this tour?
MC: [looks mysterious] Maybe… [I laugh]. Yes. We were going to play it in Philly but we didn’t have time with all the stress before the gig, we had to cut back.
PW: The reason why that song is so special to me, after your album came out, we had the second largest recorded snowfall ever in Washington in February. At one point the snow had reached my height.
MC: No way.
PW: Yeah. And in order to get my car out, I had to keep shoveling the driveway, and I would measure different distances of snow cleared by how many times I heard “Submission” to finish that line of snow. I must have heard “Submission” 500 times. So it’s very special to me. That’s my little “Submission” story.
MC: Well, I’m glad we could be there for you in your time of need. [laughs]

PW: Well, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it.
MC: Thank you, cheers.

Thanks very much to Matt for an amazing interview and taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with me, and special thanks to Delphic’s management for arranging the interview.


Oct 05 – Phoenix / Toronto*
Oct 07 – Newport Music Hall / Columbus*
Oct 08 – DC9 / Washington, DC^
Oct 11 – St. Andrews / Detroit*
Oct 12 – Metro / Chicago*
Oct 13 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee*
Oct 14 – First Avenue / Minneapolis*
Oct 21 – Popscene / San Francisco&
Oct 22 – Fox / Pomona, CA*
Oct 23 – Club Nokia / Los Angeles*
^ Delphic only
* supporting
& with the Hundred in the Hands

Live photos in this review were from Roskilde Festival, taken by Mary Chang, July 2, 2010

Delphic: website | myspace | American Release Details of Delphic EP | Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia | Interview with: Matt Cocksedge of Delphic, Part 1

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/05/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-2/feed/ 0 Interview with: Matt Cocksedge of Delphic (Part 1) http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/04/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-1/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/04/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-1/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:23:13 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=28613

The exciting debut album from , ’s will for sure be in my top 2 albums of 2010. The electro / dance / rock trio is currently touring as support for the Temper Trap, and this is their first significant tour of North America to boot after just playing three gigs in America in June. It was my distinct pleasure to speak with Delphic‘s accomplished guitarist, , before their gig at the in Boston, the second night on a month-long tour of our continent. I have to say, he’s probably one of the most (if not the most) eloquent musician I’ve ever had the chance to . In part 1 of this , we discuss the cynical music media and why they seem intent on comparing Delphic to fellow Mancunians and hometown heroes New Order, why he thinks their tourmates the Temper Trap are actually more similar to them than you might realize, and how Radiohead is a real inspiration to them.

Mary Chang, PopWreckoning: I think every single blogger I know of wants to be different [taking a different album review approach] than , endeavor to not be like them. My mom doesn’t get the blogging thing, when I was explaining to her what Pitchfork was, she thought it sounded like people who were going after other people with pitchforks. That was the way she interpreted it, not knowing what it was.
Matt Cocksedge, Delphic: Yeah, makes sense.
PW: But when you’re talking about promoting music to the masses…
MC: But it seems like an accurate description of the press, doesn’t it? Hanging them out to dry. It’s difficult really.
PW: Maybe I can ask you, have you discerned a difference between the British media and the American media? Have you felt one given you a harder time than the other? Or maybe you haven’t had a lot of exposure to American media, yet.
MC: That’s the thing. I don’t know too much about American media reaction to us. All I know is that Pitchfork [when Pitchfork reviewed their debut album, Acolyte, released in June on Dangerbird Records here in America], that was out ages ago. I don’t know what else has gone with the release of the album, beyond that, I haven’t really heard [anything].
PW: To be honest, I don’t think I ever read that review. I’m sometimes scared to look…
MC: Yeah, I’m scared to look! Really nervous. [smiles]
PW: So you said that they slagged off Everything Everything? [the fellow Manchester band's debut album, Man Alive, was released in August in the UK]
MC: They did, they did. And I just can’t help but feel there’s some sort of…the Everything Everything album was critically received in the UK…
PW: Yeah, I reviewed it for another site and I really liked it.
MC: It’s a great album, with so many ideas.
PW: And very original.
MC: So original! And even it doesn’t connect with you, potentially you can still appreciate the ideas, the originality, the experimentalism. You know, they’re trying to do something new with guitar music in a band. And certainly with our review, it was more an indictment of British music than an actual review of the record.

PW: Oh you know what, I think I did read it. I think they focused on the New Order aspect…
MC: Yeah.
PW: Which is interesting, because in almost every single American article I’ve read about you guys, it’s always focused on New Order. Now, I was too young to appreciate New Order at their height of fame and you also, neither of us were there for the whole / New Order thing. So I don’t come from it from that perspective.
MC: That’s the thing. We know New Order‘s music a bit. What I always think about the New Order thing, if “Doubt” wasn’t on the album, if you kind of take “Doubt” out of the equation of the album, and then look at it in terms of New Order, it’s very, very different. But when “Doubt” is included, I think it’s the most New Order, most obvious New Order kind of touch point on the record. I’ve always wondered about that. But people will hear what they want to hear and say what they want to say. And we’ve made this music and put it out, and then you take what you get given. It’s certainly interesting, you know, going around the world…especially places like Japan, there’s much more positive feeling, I think. There’s a lot of cynicism in the UK especially And the UK press and the UK audience. It’s because we’ve been spoilt for choice [when it comes to music], we’re just completely spoiled.

PW: That’s the thing, I think that’s the reason why I’ve gravitated towards British music in general, because you have people like and Huw Stephens championing the little guys.
MC: Every evening there’s a new band starting out…
PW: Yeah, like clockwork every Wednesday I listen to Lammo’s “New Favourite Band” feature and while we don’t see eye to eye on every band, but it’s nice to hear different opinions.
MC: Definitely.
PW: It’s hard to hear about new [British] bands on American radio. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Delphic song played in Washington. Back in February, played the same dance night you guys will play in DC next Friday, and one of the songs being spun that night was “Halcyon”. Me and a girlfriend, we’ve got our tickets and we’re coming up the stairs and it’s coming out of the speakers. And we went crazy because we knew the song! We were very excited. But we were the only ones in the club that knew it.
MC: That’s great! [grins]
PW: So to have you guys come to DC is really exciting. I think it’s the only date you’re doing by yourselves on this tour?
MC: Yeah, I think so. I don’t know if we’ve got one in LA…
PW: I know you guys are doing Club Nokia [in Los Angeles] with the Temper Trap…
MC: Yeah, we’re doing that…yeah, basically we’d come over here to tour with the Temper Trap. They’re lovely guys, which makes things a lot easier. Always a pleasure when you’re on tour with a band that is just nice, and good guys. Makes it a lot easier.
PW: When I saw you guys in Denmark [at ], Rick [Boardman, Delphic's keyboards / synths player] already knew you were coming to America to support someone else but couldn’t tell me because he’d get in trouble. The Temper Trap never even crossed my mind…when I first saw this tour’s bill, I was kind of surprised because I think of the Temper Trap as more of a straight forward rock sound. Did you have any reservations supporting them? Not that you really had much choice as support but…did you wonder, is this going to be an issue when we play to crowds primarily there for the Temper Trap?
MC: No, not at all. We were really excited about it. We respect the Temper Trap a lot. I think what we do is very similar but we put it in different clothes. We both try and write songs and yeah, we’re songwriters…we put them in different contexts. Theirs is a more guitar-based thing and ours is a more synth-based thing. At the heart, we’re quite similar and something we share with them. I think it’s good. We’re not trying to steal fans, we’re not trying to be a better Temper Trap or trying to compete with them in that way. We’re a band on a similar tangent, but doing our own thing. They’re doing their own thing. Hopefully when people come see us, they can understand the similarities but appreciate the differences. And yeah, we’re really excited and thrilled that they asked us along. And really, really happy to be out here with them. We’ve only done the one show [at Philadelphia's Trocadero on Sunday night, 3 nights earlier], so I’ll let you know how it goes! [laughs] But at the moment, it’s been good!

PW: I have to ask, what did you think, coming back to America after 3 months since your last shows here? Did you approach that with trepidation? The last “gig” you had before that was Bestival, that was a couple weeks ago?
MC: Well, it’s certainly different than a festival. You can’t do so much jumping up and down and getting people to clap. You’ve gotta be a bit cooler! [smiles] Yeah, we’ve done the support band thing for a while, we know how it works, we’re just happy to be back out here. The crowd was good. It was a really stressful gig, to be honest with you, because it’s the first date of the tour. Backstage is always bit hectic. You hope everything works. It was really hectic, but I really enjoyed the gig myself. Great venue, the crowd was loud, yeah, I enjoyed it a lot.
PW: I have to say, as your set progressed, I could feel the audience getting behind you. I was in second row on the floor, which I was very happy about. I was surrounded by devoted Temper Trap fans and I basically explained who you guys were, and who the Hundred in the Hands were, because they’ve just put out their debut album last week.
MC: Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get it.
PW: It’s really good. I’d say that along with yours and ‘s [Tourist History] albums, it’s up there in my top 5 albums of 2010.
MC: Oh wow, cool.
PW: And I heard smatterings of conversation after your set. One girl said, “yeah, it was kind of a slow start but after the third song with all the synth action, I really liked it!”
MC: Yeah, what was really cool were the pockets of people who were really going for it!
PW: [laughs] Yeah, that was us! We were the ones jumping up and down and pumping our fists. Expect that, I’ll get people excited for you guys tonight.
MC: Cool, I’ll keep a look out for it.

PW: Going back to the album, having heard what people have said about the album, one thing that I found very interesting was that people were comparing my favorite song, “Submission,” to .
MC: Really.
PW: What would say about that?
MC: Uh…I’d be quite speechless! [laugh]
PW: Me too, and that’s because I’m a Duranie.
MC: I’d never have saw that coming! Yeah, I dunno…I’m not offended by it at all. Certainly didn’t see that one coming. I dunno, it’s one of those things, you make music to put it out there and people will read into it what they want. “So this bit is like this…” and we would’ve never even heard of that band! And then sometimes they’ll write, “so this bit is like this…” and yeah, we did just rip it off a bit. [grins] Yeah, I don’t know if it was Duran Duran influenced, but I can honestly say I didn’t think anyone would say that.
PW: It reminds me of what people said about ‘s second album [Brain Thrust Mastery]. I liked it better than their first because it was more polished and had the synths. People said it sounded like Duran Duran because it had synths. Just because they have synths doesn’t mean they were influenced by Duran Duran. Similarly, some people think anything with synths can be classified as ’80s new wave.

PW: “Submission” has the right balance of synths, guitars, beats, and everything is so clean. The echoes are absolutely perfect to me. It’s the perfect song. I can put on my headphones and go into my own little world listening to it. Do you remember how the song came about? How do your songs usually start, does it start with someone’s lyric, “hey, I have an idea“, or “hey, I got this great guitar riff, let’s work off of this…”
MC: I think with “Submission”, I really think it came about from the beat, you know? We wanted a more down-tempo number. It’s still quite quick, but it feels a lot slower than a lot of the record. We really wanted a bit darker of a tune, more of… that kind of feeling, and it came from [Matt starts tapping the table with his hands in time to the killer main rhythm of "Submission"]…
PW: I think that’s why I like it, it’s so funky.
MC: Yeah, we’ve got the guitar riff at the end, that came quite early as well. Yeah, all the songs, they all come from different places, there’s no set way of doing it, at least in terms of the initial idea. When we have an idea, and we’re developing it, then you kind of have your way of working on it, trying to flesh it out and make that transition from idea to song. And that’s difficult, because not all of them make it through. Sometimes you have a great idea but you can’t fit it in the right context. That can be difficult. But that came from a beat. Other tune came from a sound on the synth, or a chord sequence, and there’s no rules with this sort of thing, is there? We have strong instincts with these things. We try to work within a concept or the framework of an album for the set of songs we want to write. And once you have that framework established, it’s constrictive yet freeing because you can explore all areas in a certain kind of musical world, in a way. That definitely how it happened with the first record. We knew the kind of record we wanted to make in terms of sound and what we were talking about, and really then it was seeing what worked within it and what didn’t work, and how best make an album flow and what we needed to do to give it more depth. There is no real right or wrong, it’s whether you get that feeling. James [Cook, Delphic's lead vocalist and bassist] might play me something. So do I get it, do I feel it in my gut? Does it give me that kind of emotion? If the answer is no, let’s write another one. And if the answer is yes, okay, let’s take it to the next stage, let’s develop it and put an arrangement around it, put words to it. Are there any words that fit that we have already? You know, so you build it from there. But the initial idea is always the most important thing. It’s whether you get a buzz off of it…
PW: Like a spark of inspiration.
MC: Yeah, definitely. Sometimes…we’re writing ideas for the second album now, and there are some things…James played me something he’d written the other day, and sometimes you can just hear immediately, “that’s a finished song,” even if it’s just something on the piano with a bit of melody. I just know what that’s going to be. And that’s the most exciting thing. That’s when you know at the heart, there is something really special. It doesn’t happen all the time, but then it’s something you really need to grab onto and protect, in a way. You want to keep it true and make something real out of it.

PW: I think it is a gift when you’re able to create a timeless melody. A lot of music today, say hip hop, doesn’t necessarily have a great, underlying melody. It’s just not there. Or even some harder rock stuff. I saw 2 weeks ago at their first headlining gig of America, in Washington. They couldn’t even sell out DC9, and that’s a 200-capacity venue.
MC: Really? That’s madness. They’re really big in the UK now. [Biffy Clyro regularly sells out stadiums there.]
PW: I’m not a huge fan of theirs but I wanted to see history in the making. I consider Biffy kind of thrash metal, and my issue with thrash metal is that there isn’t a melody running through the whole thing, a melody that really grabs me. I’m not going to remember that song next week. Before or while you were in a band, were there any other bands that you looked to as idols?
MC: Hmmm…Radiohead really, for me personally. They’re the bosses, aren’t they? The big kids in the class. I just think…they don’t put a foot wrong. They’re the band that I think always…I remember when we were working on parts of the first album, “what would do?” kind of, that we said to each other kind of jokingly, but with a serious tone. They don’t seem to make missteps. And I think as a band they’ve always been so inspirational, because they’ve always done their own thing. Believed in what they do. Writing OK Computer and then bringing out Kid A, the most incredible movement in modern music, right? I think they’re certainly a band we have immense, immense respect for. And a band whose career path we look to and we’re like, if we have a career anywhere near that, we’d be happy. As a band who’s just released a first record, you’re very much at the whim at the reviews and the whim of word of mouth. And people are very open to speculation on things. And open to New Order comparisons! [laughs] But I think as we release more records and release more, people see what we’re actually about. I think looking at a band like Radiohead, at Pablo Honey or even The Bends, and seeing how they were labeled as, like, ‘s wannabes, and all that kind of thing. Then they kind of emerged and blossomed into their own thing. I think we’re really eager to kind of move on and keep developing, and show people…we’ve still got a lot to prove, I think, and we’ve still got a long way to go, and a long way to improve. We’ve got a lot to prove to ourselves and everyone else as well. And who we are. And we’re just excited to be given the chance to do that. Some people [in bands] do that to them [finger gesture], and some people, “thanks for believing in us, we want to pay you back.” You know? I think that’s the Manchester spirit a little bit, that bit is anyway. Sorry, I hope I didn’t offend you doing that!
PW: Haha, no worries. Was that a bit of anti-Southerner kind of thing?
MC: [laughs] Oh, no no! It’s just that kind of gang mentality in Manchester.
PW: “All for one, and one for all” kind of a thing?
MC: Yeah, it’s a band thing as well, but we don’t feel like part of London. We’re a Manchester band and proudly so, but we don’t feel like we’re a part of any scene in Manchester. There are three or four of us versus the world as it were. You’ve only got your mates to rely on, they’re the ones you want to see it through with. And so to kind of prove ourselves is a massive, massive thing. And it’s something we are working on and will hopefully achieve.

Stay tuned for part 2 coming soon…


Oct 05 – Phoenix / Toronto*
Oct 07 – Newport Music Hall / Columbus*
Oct 08 – DC9 / Washington, DC^
Oct 11 – St. Andrews / Detroit*
Oct 12 – Metro / Chicago*
Oct 13 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee*
Oct 14 – First Avenue / Minneapolis*
Oct 21 – Popscene / San Francisco&
Oct 22 – Fox / Pomona, CA*
Oct 23 – Club Nokia / Los Angeles*
^ Delphic only
* supporting the Temper Trap
& with the Hundred in the Hands

Delphic: website | myspace | American Release Details of Delphic EP | Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace | @ Trocadero, Philadelphia

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/10/04/interview-with-matt-cocksedge-of-delphic-part-1/feed/ 1 The Temper Trap with Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands @ Trocadero, Philadelphia http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/27/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-trocadero-philadelphia/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/27/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-trocadero-philadelphia/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:51:16 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=28311

The Temper Trap have been touring so much and in so many places in 2010, I’ve lost count. So I consider the Trocadero gig in Philadelphia the start of their “latest and greatest” North American tour, if you will. The Melbourne-based band played to an enthused crowd there Sunday night. It’s pretty uncommon for me to know about all three bands on a tour – usually I’ll know the headliner and probably one of the headliners peripherally, but on this tour, I was stoked beyond belief that two of the best electronic bands of the moment would be support for the Temper Trap.

’s have just released their self-titled debut album on last week, and it’s an amazing effort. Definitely in my top 5 of albums of 2010, I think it would handily beat out LCD Soundsystem’s This is Happening in a head-to-head contest on the dance floor. You always wonder how electronic bands translate (or don’t) in the live environment, and I can say without a doubt the Hundred in the Hands passes with flying colors. The only issue I had was with some of the instrumentation getting muddled, which I think was more of a fault of the venue’s sound system and not a reflection on the duo. Weirdly, the front row of the standing crowd stock still for the entire night, and it was us and my new friends in the second row that were kicking up our heels to the Brooklyn duo (and the rest of the night for that matter).

Eleanore Everdell (lead vocals / synths) sings, at times, with a yelping howl not unlike Natasha Khan of but I think Everdell does this better, because her disaffected voice is perfect for dance music. Check out the amazing “Last City,” the opening track on their album, with its “oh oh oh OH ohs” that will make this an earworm for sure, and even better live. “Pigeons,” a single getting a lot of airplay on British radio, is another gem. A fascinating sidenote: Hundred’s guitarist (and also beat master) Jason Friedman has the same model of Rickenbacker as ’s , so I was doubly blown away by equipment prettiness.

So the next two bands of the night I had been lucky enough to have seen last at in very sunny Denmark in July. Delphic released two singles, “Counterpoint” and “This Momentary,” in their home country in 2009. While these didn’t race up the UK singles chart, they generated enough interest such that when the , band let loose their debut album, Acolyte, early this year on their own imprint , the buzz was enormous. I was already a big fan of theirs after hearing Acolyte in January, and it quickly became the soundtrack to my cardiovascular workouts for the rest of the DC winter (read: shoveling during the second biggest snowfall ever recorded in Washington). The band have no idea of this particular reason for my great affection for their music. Interestingly, it became clear Sunday night that I, along with the aforementioned second row of fans at the Trocadero, were going to use Delphic to soundtrack quite a workout.

I should probably mention that despite it being autumn on the East Coast already, the inside of the Trocadero was hot. Steamy. Boiling. By the time Delphic started their second song, the synthtastic “Doubt”, the shirt of lead singer/bassist James Cook was already soaking wet with sweat. He seemed unperturbed by this, singing his heart out on tunes like “Red Lights,” complete with requisite red lighting and concluding with a monster synth outro – just what you’d expect from three English boys who are self-described “synthesizer geeks.” Keyboards/synths man Rick Boardman surprised me, singing his backing vocals with so much enthusiasm, I was floored. He sings in a higher register than Cook and frankly, you haven’t heard sexier high-pitched male vocals in a dance song since days. “Halcyon,” the song that cemented my love for the band (used somewhat freakily for a UK mobile phone advert, I can’t be the only one who thinks James Cook singing “give me something I can believe in” has absolutely nothing to do with mobile phones), was fantastic, with guitarist Matt Cocksedge ripping his now famous guitar solo.

Even though it appeared that myself and one other guy next to me (clutching a Delphic press clipping from NME, no less) were the only people in the whole club to even know who they were and what they sounded like, by the time the set closer “Counterpoint”, with the swells of its guitar and synth and Cook’s upbeat yet sad lyrics of “but you don’t come back around / it seems to me that we will never be” and his emphatic declaration that “nothing’s wrong / nothing’s wrong with today,“ everyone was already on their side, pumping their fists in the air. See, Delphic may write songs about love and heartbreak like other bands, but they write and play them in a way you will force you to take notice, because you won’t be able to keep still. This is music that makes you want to dance.

Delphic Set List
Clarion Call
Doubt
Red Lights
This Momentary
Halcyon
Counterpoint

The way things are going for the Temper Trap, I think they could very well be playing stadiums in the near future. They have the swagger, they have the confidence, and they certainly have devoted fans. In Washington, maybe a quarter of the attendees show up before or around doors and the rest amble in at the appointed set time for the headliner. Not so with Sunday’s Temper Trap show. I have never in my life seen such a long line outside a venue before doors, going for what seemed like miles down Arch Street. Thanks to two wonderful openers, the Trocadero crowd was drenched in perspiration and ready for the headliner.

All too predictably, “Sweet Disposition,” the song on the “500 Days of Summer” soundtrack that made the Temper Trap a household name in America, got the loudest crowd reaction. But my buddies and I in second row standing had a good time pogo-ing to “Fader,” “Love Lost,” and even “Down River,” the latter with its unusually plodding verses but endearing, shoutable chorus of “Down river! Down river!” and odd spoken lyrics from bassist . I think a lot of people went to this show knowing nothing but “Sweet Disposition” and maybe “Fader,” but they all came away with a feeling of euphoria, seeing a band close to or at its peak in performance terms. grinned through the entire set, later reaching out to the crowd at the end to shake as many hands as he could.

The light show for their final song, “Science of Fear,” was a war between strobes and blue spotlights. This is the level of light show uses on tour. So it’s not a far stretch of the imagination to imagine envision the Temper Trap playing Madison Square Garden or the Meadowlands sometime soon. They won’t be playing clubs for much longer. Watch this space.

The Temper Trap Set List
introduction
Rest
Fader
Fools
Down River
Love Lost
Soldier On
Sweet Disposition
Resurrection
Drumming Song
//
Rabbit Hole
Science of Fear

(dates with all three bands except those noted)
Sept 29 – / Boston
Sept 30 – Wellmont / Montclair, NJ
Oct 01 – Terminal 5 / New York City
Oct 02 – Le National / Montreal
Oct 03 – Capital Music Hall / Ottawa
Oct 05 – Phoenix / Toronto
Oct 07 – Newport Music Hall / Columbus
Oct 08 – DC9 / Washington, DC^
Oct 09 – / Austin*
Oct 09 – MOTR Club / Cincinnati%
Oct 11 – St. Andrews / Detroit
Oct 12 – Metro / Chicago
Oct 13 – Turner Hall / Milwaukee
Oct 14 – First Avenue / Minneapolis
Oct 18 – Crocodile / Seattle%
Oct 19 – Woods / Portland%
Oct 21 – Popscene / San Francisco&
Oct 22 – Fox / Pomona, CA
Oct 23 – Club Nokia / Los Angeles
^ Delphic only
* the Temper Trap only (festival appearance)
% the Hundred in the Hands only
& Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands only

a-hundred1 b-hundred2 c-hundred3 d-hundred4 e-delphic1 f-delphic2 g-delphic3 h-delphic4 i-delphic5 j-delphic6 k-delphic7 l-tempertrap1 m-tempertrap2 n-tempertrap3 o-tempertrap4 p-tempertrap5 q-tempertrap6

The Temper Trap: website | myspace | @ 9:30 Club | @ Bonnaroo 2010, Day 1 | The Temper Trap Announce August-October North American Tour with Delphic and The Hundred in the Hands | @ Showbox at the Market
Delphic: website | myspace | American Release Details of Delphic EP | Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace
The Hundred in the Hands: website | myspace | ‘Pigeons’ takes flight with Foals’ remix

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/09/27/the-temper-trap-with-delphic-and-the-hundred-in-the-hands-trocadero-philadelphia/feed/ 5 Delphic’s Debut Album Streaming on Their MySpace http://popwreckoning.com/2010/07/06/delphics-debut-album-streaming-on-their-myspace/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/07/06/delphics-debut-album-streaming-on-their-myspace/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:21 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=26163

All 10 tracks from the debut album of , -based electropop dance band are now available for streaming on their Myspace. The album Acolyte was released in January in the UK on but just saw stateside release last week on June 29 on , the California label of and .

The band – lead singer/bassist , guitarist , and multi-instrumentalist – recently played shows in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles in June prior to the American date. But there are rumors the English trio will return to America for shows in October. I just saw these guys last week at and they’re definitely ones to watch. Check out the promo video for “Halcyon” below.

Delphic: website | myspace

Related Posts

]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/07/06/delphics-debut-album-streaming-on-their-myspace/feed/ 0