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ACL: Houston’s Blue October
Just so you know in advance, this is gonna be a rave review. Yes, we hard-bitten critic types pride ourselves on our flinty independence. Ordinarily, that is. But in the case of Blue October’s crowd-pleasing (what’d I tell ya?) set at the AMD stage on Saturday afternoon, this particular hard-bitten critic was being fed song titles and other bits of vital ephemera by the mom and dad of brothers Justin (guitar and vocals) and Jeremy (drums) Furstenfeld.
If you think I’m gonna dis a couple of hard-working kids in front of their doting folks, well, let’s just say my name isn’t Michael Corcoran.
In any event, bragging on Blue October isn’t much of a stretch. Since they emerged on the scene from Houston in 1995, the brothers and their three compatriots have established themselves over the course of five albums as a live attraction to contend with.
Justin Furstenfeld, in particular, is a born front man. Watching him stalk the edge of the stage during the charmingly titled “Drilled A Wire Through My Cheeks,” it was evident he was a magnetic presence. His performances of “Let it Go,” “Calling You” and the insanely catchy “Into the Ocean” were equally compelling.
Ryan Delahoussaye also deserves particular mention, as he filled in with aplomb on fiddle, mandolin and keyboards — sometimes simultaneously.
If the band’s lyrics are not infrequently dark, their music and performance brims with energy and a contagious enjoyment that it is almost impossible for performers to feign.
“X Amount of Words,” with its trippy loops and effects, the whiplash overdrive of “Chameleon Boy” the breakout hit (and set finale) “Hate Me” helped round out the set.
Mr. And Mrs. Furstenfeld, let’s just say your boys (and their mates onstage) done good.
(Photo by Brian K. Diggs AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: ACL Festival
Comments
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By Brent
September 16, 2007 3:53 AM | Link to this
you’re kidding, right?
By Jody
September 16, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this
They rocked!
By Bob
September 16, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
That was the most average, boring, pedistrian rock performance I have ever seen. Blue October is the new Creed.
By Eric
September 17, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
Um…hello? Blue October started in San Marcos and now call Austin home! Get your facts right! Pathetic reporting from a hometown newspaper!
By Brittany
September 17, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this
Actually, a majority of the band was born and raised in Houston. Then they moved to San Marcos, and consider the Austin area their home.
I thought the performance was fantastic.
By Kathy
September 18, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
Their website says this: Blue October originated in Houston, Texas and is still a Texas-based band, with their members living in Austin and San Marcos, Texas and management based out of Dallas.