Austin – From the moment the doormen checked IDs and stamped hands, music fans knew that The Parish was throwing a party. Austinites, of course, will find any excuse to celebrate, and Thursday’s call for merriment boomed louder than the bass vibrating the speakers. February 18th wasn’t just the date of another concert. It was the birthday of Robert DeLong. Even if fans didn’t know about Robert DeLong’s “Dirty Thirty,” they could feel the tangible energy buzzing throughout the space. Plush couches lined the walls, but nobody was sitting. Warm, gooey cookies sat by the merch booth, but they didn’t last long. Feet slipped on plastic glow sticks, sending a contagion of frothy light through the venue, and gaudy, pointy party hats adorned the bouncing heads of ticket holders.
By the time Robert DeLong’s crew finished adjusting the camera equipment and testing the sound, bright florescent face paint covered the majority of the crowd. The partiers weren’t sure if the colorful designs would wash off in time for work the next morning, but it was a risk they were willing to take. Robert DeLong’s opening song, “Religious Views,” successfully spurred a massive sing-a-long. Hands pulsed in the air and feet tapped to the beat, but it was only the start of a roaring avalanche of energy. Cameras seemed to record everything. Crew members filmed the rapturous faces dancing in the crowd and scanned the entire layout of DeLong’s music jungle. The landscape was an impressive maze full of recording equipment, percussive instruments, guitars, and sound-altering microphones. It looked chaotic to the untrained eye, but Robert DeLong weaved his way through it with dexterity and precision.
Robert DeLong’s resonant, pinging voice echoed through the venue during “Jealousy.” In the span of a few bars, the notes reached through the stratosphere and plummeted back to earth. It’s not an easy feat, especially when you’re manning the bass, drums, and effects all at the same time. During “Don’t Wait Up For Me,” the dance floor whirled into a frenzy. Fearless eye contact created new dance partners. Drinks splashed onto the wooden floor. Sweat soaked through clothes, and nobody seemed to care about Friday’s seven a.m. alarm clock. The set list segued into one of the most anticipated songs of the night. The first ping sent adrenaline through the roof; we didn’t even need to hear the whole bar to know what it was. Despite its popular radio rotation, “Long Way Down” never feels overplayed. We knew the words as well as we know “Happy Birthday,” and we sang with the same unbridled joy.
Hearing several hundred people belt the lyrics, “Things will never go our way,” is far from dreary; it’s empowering. The crowd seemed to crave the song’s blunt cynicism. Revelers bit into glow sticks and sent shimmering, oily residue swirling throughout the dance floor. Heads turned and eyes darted, but few people stopped to make a complaint. Only high fives and uproarious laughter greeted the culprits. On February 18th, it felt like everyone’s birthday, and we celebrated accordingly.
Robert DeLong is on tour now. A list of tour dates is available on Facebook.
Photo of Robert DeLong in Chicago by Sarah Hess for Best New Bands
Elisa Regulski
Latest posts by Elisa Regulski (see all)
- 3 Great New Bands At SXSW: X Ambassadors – Waxahatchee – Calliope Musicals - March 20, 2016
- Robert DeLong Throws Florescent Birthday Bash - February 22, 2016
- Joanna Gruesome Packed A Punch At Fun Fun Fun Fest - November 10, 2015
Pingback: SG Lewis Makes His Chicago Debut - Best New Bands