Concert review: Brand New’s signature angst doesn’t translate live

Sallee Ann Ruibal
Mon, 18 Jul 2016 20:03:41 +0000
Arts & Life, Music, brand new, columbus events, columbus music, jesse lacey, McFerson Commons, Modest Mouse, promowest, PromoWest Fest

Members of Modest Mouse perform the closing set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For The Lantern

Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse plays banjo at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Music fans await the arrival of Garbage on the Pepsi stage at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For The Lantern

Guitarist Duke Erikson of Garbage performs on the Pepsi stage at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For The Lantern

Lead vocalist Shirley Manson of Garbage entertains the crowd at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Black Lips guitarist Jack Hines performs at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Guitarist and pianist J. Roddy Walston raises his hand to the audience at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

American rock band J. Roddy Walston and the Business plays “Don’t Break The Needle” on the Columbus Makes Art stage at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For The Lantern.

J. Roddy Walston and the Business performs at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For The Lantern

Vocalist and guitarist Keith Jeffery of Atlas Genius performs “Stockholm” at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Keith Jeffery of Atlas Genius performs at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Guitarist Kevin McKeown of the Austin-based duo Black Pistol Fire plays the Columbus Makes Art stage at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Guitarist Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire performs at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Chris Baggott | For the Lantern

Jake Smith of Columbus' own The Worn Flints plays at Promowest Fest on Sunday, July 17. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Jesse Lacey, front man for Long Island based band Brand New plays his guitar at Promowest Fest on Sunday, July 17. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Lacey and drummer Brian Lane perform during Brand New's set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Jim Fairchild of Modest Mouse sings during their set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires | Asst. Photo Editor

Lead singer Isaac Brock pauses in between songs during PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Vincent Accardi sways to his guitar riff during Brand New's set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

The Worn Flint's extremely animated lead singer and guitarist Kenny Stiegele immerses himself in his guitar solo during PromoWest Fest on July 17 At McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Lead singer Stefan Babcock of Canadian punk band Pup plays during their set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Mimicking Birds guitarist Matthan Minster performs at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

Lead singer and guitarist Nate Lacy plays during Mimicking Birds set at PromoWest Fest on July 17 at McFerson Commons. Credit: Mason Swires|Asst. Photo Editor

A journey to tucked away McFerson Commons for PromoWest Fest’s final night of its inaugural year was a journey to a little pocket of my adolescence.

My older brother was a big Modest Mouse fan when he was my age. The co-headliner’s alternative rock sound with blues infusions translated well to the stage. Bright, primarily primary colored lights lit up their set. The band’s strong stage presence for relatively lowkey songs showed off its seasoned experience, which only comes from performing for over two decades. I enjoyed their set the same way I enjoyed my brother playing “Dashboard” on his guitar. It was familiar in its own funky way, but it wasn’t strongly tied to me.

There was another band Sunday night which had that tie for me: co-headliner Brand New.

Lead singer Jesse Lacey is a Tumblr god.

Or, at least he was when my 13-year-old self inhabited the blogging website. Anytime one of my pseudo internet friends was able to see Brand New perform, I was jealous. I clung to their every typed word saying what a tortured, artistic soul Lacey was.

Seven years later, Lacey seemed more like an uninterested boyfriend who was trying to break up ever since the relationship started. After all, the band does sell shirts proclaiming “Brand New: 2000-2018.”

The band didn’t start with a bang, but rather the whimper of “Tautou,” which was promptly interrupted by a loud train whistle from the tracks behind the stage. Lacey and fellow members gave little reaction aside from an extra layer of brooding looks.

Lacey then sang the next three songs from their 2003 sophomore album, “Deja Entendu” — “Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades,” “I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light” and “Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t” — as if they were simultaneously wafting smoke from his lips and a fire he wanted to extinguish immediately. He churned the words out quickly but with little emphasis, inflection or desire.

Even “Mix Tape,” the ultimate “we’re breaking up and you suck” song, felt flat and uninspired.

Brand New’s latest song, “I Am A Nightmare” felt most like the band’s debut album “Your Favorite Weapon” — which “Mix Tape” is off of — and did bring energy in its inherently more poppy beat.

“You Won’t Know” would have been a good ending song as it echoed the smoky wispiness of “Tautou,” but the band needed to play the final two songs — “Jesus Christ” and “Sowing Season (Yeah)” — for all grown up bloggers to feel like Lacey lived up to the hype.

But, as early 2000’s emo as it sounds, maybe Brand New is best enjoyed alone. If the band seems to prefer performing their angst-ridden songs alone in a studio, it should be okay for me to prefer hearing them alone in bed than on a narrow stretch of grass in the middle of the city. None of this “It’s not you, it’s me” nonsense. Brand New, let’s just cut the ties because it’s for the best.