Saturday’s bill of psychedelic goodness at the Middle East was everything one could hope for and more. From the DIY light show, stuff glass plates, pill colored dyes and actual human operators, prostate to the sea of hipsters dressed in their finest skinny jeans and hoodies, the sold out show was packed to the the brim with sweaty bodies swaying in time to the music. Arriving exactly when the doors opened allowed me to see the finishing touches on setting up a dazzling light show. Overhead projectors lined the front of the stage, the kind teachers would use to project slides in middle school. Instead of slides though, there were glass plates with blue and red dyes mixed with water that projected images of swirling and undulating blobs of colors onto white sheets that lined the stage. The plates were handled by two long haired guys who would turn and pulse the plates to the beats.
The show kicked off with BOYTOY, a pop band who splits their time between Boston and Brooklyn. Their sound was slightly reminiscent of Canadian indie rock band Metric, but with more reverb on the guitar and a more nasally whine on the vocals, which was not a bad thing. Lead singer Saara Untracht-Oakner’s voice fit in well with the syrupy pop-rock vibe of the band. She and fellow guitarist Glenn Van Dyke shimmied and danced around the stage, hair whipping around their faces, the blue and red dyes of the light show reflecting onto their bodies and beating in rhythm with the drums.
Up next was Boston-based psychedelic rock band Ghost Box Orchestra. A huge array of pedals lined the stage, creating the tripped out dissonance and echoing vocals that characterized their sound, which had a dark air of creepiness that sent the slightest of shivers up one’s spine. What little lyrics that were in the songs were repeated and chanted, creating a feel that some sort of psychedelic ritual was taking place. The players all grooved and rode the dark waves of their music, periodically closing their eyes and letting the sound wash over them.
After GBO cleared the stage, New Hampshire drone psych band MMOSS took the stage. Rachel Neveu, a tiny blond who plays flute and organ and contributes some vocals, lugged her giant portable organ onto stage, setting up front and center. She played with such vigor and emotion, often throwing her whole body into the music and hunching so far over her keys that she was nearly lying flat on top of them. The subtle bass lines and the reverb and drone of the guitar helped to create a late-60s psych feel, akin to Pink Floyd’s Saucerful of Secrets and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. They didn’t sound old, however, but rather energetic and lively, clearly knowing their predecessors well enough to put their own spin on the music. At one point during the set, guitarist Lukas Goudreault asked the audience if anyone had a capo, because he had forgotten his. Van Dyke of BOYTOY acted as his capo for one song, standing next to him and holding down a row of strings with her finger. Lead singer Doug Tuttle’s vocals were at times so drone-y and spaced out that they were difficult to understand, but no less beautiful. The clear, high notes of the flute and deep keys of the organ rang out and fingers everywhere bent strings and zipped effortlessly up and down the frets. The swirls of dye from the light show played off of their faces, creating a spinning, tripped out feel.
Last, but most certainly not least, were California surf rockers GROWLERS. Lead singer Brooks Nielson came on stage in his coat, which he stripped off during the first song to cries of “Take it off!” His deep, rumbly voice was warm and slightly slurred, words sliding effortlessly into the next. He had a charismatic stage presence, dancing and bobbing around between sips of various beers and a quick drag of a cigarette, with a hand slipped inside his button down, resting on his chest. Their sound was a welcome burst of sunshine, mellow and easygoing, a more toned-down version of the Pixies. As one audience member put it, “This is groovy.” Everyone seemed to share his sentiment, swaying and moving in time to the music, good vibes rounding off a dreamy evening.
Photo Credit: Luke Boelitz