The first night of tour is always interesting. If a band is opening in a big city like New York or Los Angeles, they want the tour to start off with a bang. If a tour’s opening show is in Hamden, CT, then the band is probably trying to work out the kinks before hitting bigger cities. …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead obviously chose the latter option. What was odd is that the band admitted on stage that they were there to work out the kinks while being fairly drunk. Despite their inebriated state, there were a couple positives to take away from the set.
First off, the band played almost all the songs a fan would want to hear off of the band’s most popular album to date, Source Tags & Codes. Kicking off the set with album opener, “It Was There That I Saw You” and subsequently mixing in favorites like “Another Morning Stoner” and “Homage.” Equally engrossing was their rendition of “Will You Smile Again For Me?”
Second, the band’s energy was perfect. It felt like seeing Fugazi with a hint of Black Flag thrown in. There were plenty of gang vocals and both the guitarist and bassist entered the crowd to start a mosh pit. Because it was Hamden, the attempts fell short of expectations but for other stops on the tour, you are on notice.
Lastly, when a band like Trail of Dead goes on tour they have the ability to make the career of a small band should they choose to take them on the road. In this case, Trail of Dead made the impeccable choice of choosing Austin three piece, Ume. While Ume’s music is not necessarily a natural match with Trail of Dead, their energy made them so. Lead singer and guitarist, Lauren LL rocked harder than anyone on the night. She would move to center stage for every guitar solo. Her violent movements made her head encompassed by her golden locks. Just as quickly, she would saunter back to the microphone with a wry smile.
While Ume was clearly more impressive that the headliners, Trail of Dead deserve credit for bring them on the road. Clearly it is a different audience for Ume and a chance for them to win over new fans with their unflappable energy. Hopefully, Hamden’s show is not indicative of Trail of Dead’s performance for the entire tour. There set was muddy, sloppy, and occasionally too chaotic for its own good. If the setlist stays the same and the band tightens up, it should a good tour.
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Trail of Dead US 2013 Tour Dates (w/Ume)
10-Jul – Spaceland Ballroom – New Haven, CT
11-Jul – Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD
12-Jul – Rex Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
13-Jul – Ace Of Cups – Columbus, OH
15-Jul – Firebird – St. Louis, MO
16-Jul – Record Bar – Kansas City, KS
18-Jul – Double Door – Chicago, IL
19-Jul – Cactus Club – Milwaukee, WI
20-Jul – Pitchfork Festival – Chicago, IL
21-Jul – Pike Room – Detroit, MI
22-Jul – Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
23-Jul – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, NJ
European 2013 Tour Dates
26-Jul – Welcome To The Village – Leeuwarden, Holland
27-Jul – Boomtown Festival – Gent, Belgium
29-Jul – Conrad Sohm – Dornbirn, Austria
30-Jul – Rote Fabrik – Zurich, Switzerland
2-Aug – FSW (Visions Party) – Dortmund, Germany
3-Aug – Stoner Rock Festival – Bad Bentheim, Germany
8-Aug – Schlachthof – Wiesbaden, Germany
9-Aug – Taubertal Festival – Rothenburg, Germany
10-Aug – Manufaktur – Schorndorf, Germany
11-Aug – Open Flair – Eschwege, Germany
