Going to a Manchester Orchestra concert is like dating a supermodel. The music is shamelessly personal, impossible to ignore, and insanely gorgeous. It’s raucous, but soothing. You’ll resist the urge to fall in love because you know the experience is fleeting, but eventually you’ll give in.
As soon as Andy Hull walked out on stage, everyone snapped out of their set change obliviousness and started paying attention. It was a sold-out show, so we’re going to assume that all of the people were excited about Manchester Orchestra and not just excited about how much Hull looks like Zach Galifianakis. Even then, it’s a comparison worth drawing. As the architect of their greatness (much like Galifianakis and The Hangover), Hull’s serious side comes through in a lot of the songs, but it’s also peppered with songs like “50 Cent” which paint the musical landscape with a fair bit of humor. Ultimately, this makes the shows even more fun. But I digress, back to supermodels.
On the surface, Manchester Orchestra is simply labelled as “indie rock.” Listen to the music or watch their videos and you’ll be impressed. Live, the entire experience is mind-blowing. There were emotionally in tune, softer, civil conversations that lead directly into bed-shaking, room rocking anthemic jam sessions. Sweet nothings whispered into the ears of the audience that are actually intricately layered, acerbic commentaries about life experiences. A Southern drawl and twang that shines at just the right moment accidentally – on purpose. It was violent and tender. It was rough and sensual. It was emotional and angry. For one night, everyone at Metro knew what it felt like to be with a supermodel. Then we all woke with a hangover.
