Live Review: The Temper Trap with Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands at the House of Blues, Boston – 29th September 2010
You’re probably wondering why I’d bother writing a gig review for the second night on a month-long tour featuring the Temper Trap with Delphic and the Hundred in the Hands as support when I’ve already written up the first night, as the experience at each American venue on this tour is pretty much the same, right? Wrong. I was once asked by a London friend if there was really a difference in accents and personalities in people from Boston compared to those from New York or those from Washington. Without a doubt.
Similarly, you’re going to get a different gig experience depending where you see a band. And venues themselves are different by nature of different clientele, different layouts, different lighting and even different beverage options (though I do not detail the last item on that list in this review, because I was too busy covering the show to drink).
So in this review, I’m going to compare and contrast Sunday’s show in physical and gig attributes at Philadelphia Trocadero with the Wednesday night one in at Boston’s House of Blues.
Physical attributes
1. Size - Trocadero: 1200. House of Blues: 2400. Winner: Trocadero. Definitely the more intimate experience. Would have been better if the stage wasn’t that high though.
2. Layout – Trocadero: floor plus one shallow balcony, bar is upstairs way in the back. House of Blues: floor plus 2 expansive balconies, bars on both sides of the floor. Winner: House of Blues. I don’t want to have to leave my good spot at the front to go on a completely different floor to get my alcohol and stay there, because who knows if I’ll ever be able to get back to my spot. However, if it were my favourite band, I’d just forgo alcohol to stake my spot in the front.
3. History – Trocadero: historic building, used to be a famous burlesque theatre. House of Blues: was built on the smoldering razed remains of two smaller clubs. Winner: Trocadero. Because people’s favourite small venues weren’t destroyed to build it.
4. Sound - Trocadero: muddled in places, which caused problems for the Hundred in the Hands and Delphic, not as noticeable with the Temper Trap. House of Blues: bigger speakers, so overall sound was louder and booming. Winner: House of Blues. You can’t compare a world-class venue with a tiny theatre, except for intimacy.
5. Beauty / ambience – Trocadero: pretty bare bones with some nice old-fashioned moulding. Hot as hell. House of Blues: neon lights and well-lit bars. Nicely air-conditioned. Winner: House of Blues. I could breathe and enjoy a beautiful venue.
Gig attributes
6. Audience – Trocadero: front row standing was stock still for the entire show, disappointing. Second row and beyond behind them, absolutely amazing energy, even for the two opening acts they’d never heard of. House of Blues: a little stiff until close to the end with the Temper Trap. Maybe they were just being respectful and acting like normal Bostonians at a HOB show? Dunno. I heard the previous night with Jason Derulo was mental though. Winner: Trocadero. Mostly for the people who really gave the Hundred in the Hands and Delphic a chance and found out they were great!
7. Sets - Trocadero: a little birdy told me the opening acts did not soundcheck here, so with that information, the Temper Trap deserve a handicap. House of Blues: sets were identical except that Delphic added my favourite song, ‘Submission’, to the mix. Chalk up rustiness from not playing it since Bestival a couple weeks prior but the vocal key for the song seemed off and overall it seemed a wee tentative. But all three bands were definitely more confident in Boston compared to Philadelphia. Winner: House of Blues, by a hair. Because I think the bands had more energy here.
Overall band winner
I have to give it up to the Temper Trap. They look the part and sound great. I talked to guitarist Lorenzo Sillitto after the show and told him I thought they really should be playing arenas with their amazing show and he said that the trick was for them to write and record their second album and use that to tour the arenas. All I can say is, we will be waiting. Impatiently!
Set lists and additional photos are under the cut.
The Hundred in the Hands Photos:
Delphic Set List:
Clarion Call
Doubt
Red Lights
This Momentary
Submission
Halcyon
Counterpoint
Delphic Photos:
The Temper Trap Set List:
introduction
Rest
Fader
Fools
Down River
Love Lost
Soldier On
Sweet Disposition
Resurrection
Drumming Song
//
Rabbit Hole
Science of Fear
The Temper Trap Photos:
Leave Your Response