CAMERAPHONIC

The strapping young lad that is Elvis Perkins and backing band “Dearland” struck up the Neumos stage, in Seattle, last Sunday night, acting as opener to Brooklyn’s darling, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Perkins’s voice alone reeks of the unspoken tragedies of his life, though always honing a latent happiness and simplicity that amalgamates into the 11 flawless and sweeping tracks of his debut album, “Ash Wednesday”. With the compassion of days and nights surely long past him, he serenaded the crowd through many of the tracks off his album and closed with the crowd go-getter, “Doomsday”. Complete with an “energizer bunny” pounding bass drummer and up-right bassist, Elvis Perkins and co. set the bar high for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is just one of those bands you either love or hate. True story- you’d be amazed at how many “Oh my god, I hate that guy’s voice” comments I heard throughout the night before the set. By the end of the night, everybody was dancing and likely eating those very words. Collectively; CYHSY is a force to be reckoned with- the instrumentals blend brilliantly with Alec Ounsworth’s voice to create a new and delectably “out there” kind of sound. Old favorites from the band’s album were rendered, as well as new favorites- one being “Satan Said Dance”. I mean…c’mon! How can you go wrong with a song name like that? From the ingenious piano banging (courtesy of my favorite Robbie ever, Robbie Guertin) at the intro to the childish cries of “SAID DANCE!” by the audience, a fun and religiously cleansing good time was to be had by all.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? That’s right. We all clapped. Some of us even said yeah! One thing is for sure- we all danced like devils and had a jolly good time doing it. Seattle sure knows how to party.

Words and Photos by Chona Kasinger
www.flickr.com/photos/chona_k/
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Chona K. is a photojournalist based out of Seattle. She will be representing the Northwest music scene for us from time to time.

Links:

• Elvis Perkins Website | Myspace
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Website | Myspace
• Buy Elvis Perkins Albums at Insound!
• Buy Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Albums at Insound!!