The Foals (Showbox at the Market) (April 11)

Who says Mondays aren’t a fun night for live music in Seattle? Not the crowd at Showbox at the Market.

Last night’s line-up drew a SOLD-OUT show with headliners The Foals, supported by The Naked and the Famous and Freelance Whales. I’d heard a few Foals songs and was curious to check out their set. As I walked in, The Naked and the Famous played. The venue was already packed at 8:30pm. I cannot accurately comment on The Naked and the Famous as I didn’t hear much, but they were vaguely reminiscent of Passion Pit.

The five-piece Freelance Whales sire from New York. Mellow, fresh-faced and talented, their musical repertoire included the banjo, 6- and 8-string guitars, a glockenspiel, a Roland JP-8000 synthesizer, drums and a harmonium. Band members interchanged instruments, a guitarist used a violin bow to play the guitar and their mellow synth indie rock pleased the all-ages fans. Aforementioned crowd went wild for last song, which was rocking, unlike the rest of their sleepy set.

UK math rock band The Foals turned out to be much different than expected from the few songs I’d heard (more hippy in their indie). These five alt-indie hippies jammed, making unique psychedelic-meets-world-beat music for a fantastic live show. The drummer is Dave-Grohl-intense and sick (as Chris would say). The lead singer sounded like Robert Smith, minus the goth. As they played, they danced and congregated around their drummer. I didn’t always get off on the music but their intensity, the way they connected with one other and the crowd was compelling, almost hypnotic. The few recognizable (to me) songs were strung together by drum solos or all jam. Definitely an experience. I got the feeling that each time they perform, they give it their all to create an unforgettable memory for each fan.