From Canada's Shapes and Sizes to C-U's own Headlights, Friday's triple bill at the Courtyard Cafe featured enough indie-rock delights to make Erin Hayes one satisfied concert-goer

Shapes and Sizes perform at the Courtyard Cafe as part of a triple bill Friday. (photo by Erin Hayes)

By Erin Hayes
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006, The OG, arts

[Note: For links to video footage of this concert, go to the end of Erin's review.]

WHEN I WALKED into the Courtyard Cafe on Friday, I knew I was in for a good show. Canadian up-and-comers Shapes and Sizes were performing, as well as local sensations Headlights and the DeKalb group Light Pollution.

Not only was the lineup impressive, the admission was absolutely free. Plus, the choice of location was a smart one. The low stage and small capacity of the Courtyard make its shows automatically feel personal, and this evening was no exception.

James of Light Pollution.
(photo by Erin Hayes)

When Light Pollution, the first band up, took the stage, I was pleasantly surprised at how polished their sound was. The band utilized a variety of instruments, including accordion, trumpet, viola, glockenspiel, keyboards, and banjo, as well as the typical drum-guitar-bass combination.

Lead singer James brought the strongest emotion to the songs with his facial expressions and faltering voice. He carried his words in a manner that made them not only truthful, but at times longing and even desperate.

Another strong suit of Light Pollution was the versatility its members showed onstage. The bassist would manage the keyboard for part of a song, while multitasking member Paul switched throughout the concert between the banjo, trumpet, glock, and accordion. This helped the band members establish a sense of overall unity, but allowed them to explore, creating many different sounds and images for the audience.

Unfortunately, after Light Pollution's performance, the sound technicians failed to keep the vocal microphones at an appropriate volume, so the lyrics and the effect of singing were largely lost for the coming bands.

The next band up, Shapes and Sizes, caught me off guard. Because they are on Asthmatic Kitty records (best known for Sufjan Stevens), I was expecting something slow-moving, folky and very orchestral. However, what I got was beautifully thought-out, unique, experimental rock. Their music, while still somewhat rough, showed an incredible amount of potential.

Erin Fein of Headlights.
(photo by Erin Hayes)

There was no evident leader of the band, as the lead vocal lines were shared and traded between Caila Thompson-Hannant (guitarist/keyboardist) and Rory Seydel (guitarist). While Seydel's voice was nothing particularly out of the ordinary, Thompson-Hannant used a very shrill tone. Her high-pitched singing was a useful artistic tool at times, but was rather abrasive at others.

The tone of each individual song was difficult, if not impossible, to pin down. It seemed that each song had at least one major tempo and key change, shifting it so dramatically that it didn't even feel like the same song anymore. This dynamic appeal of their performance kept the audience constantly interested and on their toes, ready for the next curveball Shapes and Sizes would throw at them.

Overall, their performance was endearingly unusual, from the out-of-control drummer with an overgrown beard to the bassist playing in sock feet. They brought an uncommon energy to the stage: It was thoughtful, emotional, strange, and isolating all at once, causing the listener to look inward and truly feel the music as a piece of art.

Following Shapes and Sizes, Champaign-Urbana's own Headlights took over. I had been anticipating seeing them live for months, due to their massive amounts of positive critical press.

Tristan Wraight of Headlights.
(photo by Erin Hayes)

While Headlights did not blow me away, they certainly delivered a solid and enjoyable performance. Their set was filled with delicious, lively indie-pop tunes laden with keyboards and synthesizer backgrounds. Erin Fein (keyboardist) radiated a strong sentiment of fun, constantly smiling and bobbing her head happily to the beat.

The vocal harmonies Fein shared with guitarist Tristan Wraight were gentle, pleasant, and upbeat. Fein's voice reflected that of a slightly higher-ranged Leslie Feist — confident and delectable but with the hazy outer membrane of shoegaze style.

Though their voices were barely audible due to the sound system difficulties, it was evident that Wraight and Fein's harmony is the key to Headlights' sound, and their performance would have been much more notable had their vocals been as strong as intended.

Although I had been away from the live music scene since October, this triple bill more than made up for my lost time. Thankfully, I got more through this concert than I had dared to hope for coming in. During the few hours that I stood on the floor of the Courtyard Cafe, the distinctive and varied performances these bands offered up satisfied my musical appetite to perfection.

Erin Hayes' videos from the Dec. 8 concert at Courtyard Cafe can be seen by clicking these links:

— Headlights
— Shapes and Sizes