This band was loud. And when I talk about loud sound, viagra I’m not talking about just a little on the deafening side. I mean, stuff when Young Buffalo took the stage and started up on the first song on their set, people literally jumped and stepped back, as if the force of the music pushed them. Young Buffalo wasn’t going easy on any of us; they were there, with full force, producing their fun music with all their might.
The group was fantastic and mesmerizing. Initially, Jim was singing lead and playing guitar, but about four songs in, Jim and Ben switched guitars so that Jim was now playing bass. Along with this switch, Ben took over singing lead and played guitar. It was clear that there was a massive amount of talent in the band, and that they were doing their best to fully embrace the talent that is contained in Young Buffalo. On top of that, the band hit some fantastic harmony that really added to their sound.
I snapped out of my trance and looked around at the crowd. The hall was nearly full now; people had pushed towards the stage and were moving to the music- clearly enjoying themselves. Young Buffalo was truly entertaining and obviously talented, something I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. They danced with their music, which encouraged the rest of the crowd to bounce around a bit, creating a fun atmosphere.
Young Buffalo finished their set and left the stage. As they went back to the merch table, I was able to catch Ben and chatted for a bit. While I was speaking to him, I watched the stage being set for Hey Marseilles. I could see a classical bass, electric and acoustic guitar, viola, drums, keyboard and accordion set out. I suddenly had this feeling that I was about to witness something similar to Arcade Fire. This feeling was encouraged when the band filed onto the stage- seven of them came through the door from the greenroom behind the stage.
All of the members came out and took their places at their instruments. They began perfectly on cue, producing a sweet melody, then the beat dropped and their sound turned into something more upbeat and fun. The music sounded remarkably similar to their album and the crowd was totally into it. Someone shouted “Sam I want your babies!” from the crowd, and Sam handled it well, seeing as the person yelling was a man. The crowd pushed up towards the stage and everyone was dancing.
I’d always thought this band sounded like a cross between Mumford and Sons, Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie, a sound I loved, but I’d never loved them as much as I did live. They had a great stage presence and everyone in the hall absolutely loved them. The crowd was awesome and interactive, and the band seemed to thrive off of that. About halfway through the show, Matt, the lead singer, started cracking jokes. When talking about how hard it was to read the set lists, he remarked, “We hire elves to write our set lists.”
The group finished the show strong, never missing a beat and producing some high quality music. They had such a rich sound that was so unique and could only be likened to a few existing sounds. The cross between the classical instruments and the integration of some electric instruments was a refreshing sound that cannot be fully transmitted in words.
Not only is this band stacked with talent, but they’re one of the most genuine groups I’ve met. After the show, I had the opportunity to speak with the members of Hey Marseilles. They are probably the most loveable band in Seattle. I’ve never experienced any band that was so inviting and loving towards their fans. The group came out after the phenomenal show and just hung out with fans for as long as they were allowed- which was literally until they were being kicked out of the venue.
If you are looking for a comfortable, fun night and want to meet some genuine, talented people, I would definitely recommend a Young Buffalo or Hey Marseilles show. They produce an atmosphere unique to any other groups with their rare sound, and it’s a show that someone of any age would enjoy. Definitely don’t pass these guys up.
