Written By: Jim Markunas(Editor-In-Chief)
Photos by: Sarah Yeo
View all of the Patrick Watson Live Photos here.
Patrick Watson was quite the treat! I walked into the concert not knowing anything about the artist and his band, but I left a complete believer. Patrick Watson is a combination of John Mayer, Coldplay and Radiohead (From the "Kid A"-era before they got boring and drippy). Not only are each and every one of the musicians in the band, Patrick included, multi-instrumentalists and exceptionally talented, they also put on a hell of a show. They brought in James Brown's old sound guy, and had a light show that could go toe-to-toe with any of Coldplay's arena theatrics.
Patrick is by no means lazy - In addition to having a sultry Mayer-esq voice, strong enough to be heard without a microphone, he understands the value of showmanship. He made quips and jokes to the audience, and made us all feel as if we were part of the show. At one point, Patrick jumped off stage and sang to the audience, from the audience, without the aid of a mic.
Even more unbelievable was Patrick's band. The drummer was the embodiment of percussion, as every move was executed as if he and his drums were somehow cosmically connected. He also backed up Patrick's beautifully orchestrated piano playing with tonal chimes (while at the same time playing the drums), creating a sonically-beautiful and unique atmospheric effect. The bass and guitar managed to seamlessly blend with the music, yet stand out at the same time; this is hard to pull off well, and is a rare quality that can't be over-looked.
The song that stood out the most to me was "I Like You," the band's lover's ballad. This song has major cross-over potential, and gave me the urge to make out with a hot chick... and I would have too, if the sound booth hadn't been such a sausage fest!!!!
Patrick Watson and Co. are extremely popular in Europe, and are starting to make a major push in the US. My only concern is that Patrick's music may be too sophisticated for mainstream American audiences, as it lacks the standard pop structure (verse, chorus, verse, solo, chorus, etc.) However, Muse was misunderstood by American audiences on their first US release, but eventually ended up as a household name. I whole-heartedly believe that Patrick Watson may be the next Coldplay or Radiohead if given the right opportunities and hooked up with the right producers.
Patrick's performance was so unbelievable, my review can't possibly do it justice. If you have the chance, check out Patrick and his band in San Francisco on October 20th or New York on October 22nd. These are the only US dates remaining on his tour.
View drummer Robbie Kuster playing the saw.
Threes and Nines opened, and were also a stellar act - kind of like The Violent Femmes with happier lyrics - gritty/pretty music that could easily find a home in and David Lynch film or Las Vegas drinking binge.
