lazarusmachine:

Last Friday I had the good fortune of seeing one of my favorite groups, Bombay Bicycle Club, live. They played at the Doug Fir, which was another plus, as I had heard not but positive reviews toward its atmosphere and cleanliness. I was definitely not disappointed; with interior delicacies such as antler chandeliers and authentic log cabin walling, and pristine smell and shine despite the constant spillage of drinks, the Doug Fir became an instant favorite of mine among Portland Venues. Though my evening definitely did not go as planned, this scene was enough to boost my spirits at least a little. 

The misfortune I spoke of above was a classic mistake in planning. I had gotten my ticket for this event early, as I somewhat expected to go alone since Melody is not yet 21 and she is the only other person I knew of that liked them at the time. About a week before Friday the 17th (the date of the show) I invited Kyle and Arica to come along. Against my expectations they agreed to see a band they had not yet heard, those adventurers! Tickets were sold out online so they thought they would get them at the door. We showed up early, and what do you know, they are sold out completely. I was bummed, they were bummed, and I shamefully walked down the stairs as they walked out into the rain, to do who knows what for the length of the show. 

This was my first time going to a concert solo, and I was totally unprepared for it. Even though I felt awkward the whole time, I still found myself thinking, “this was worth it,” by the end of the gig. The opening act, Lucy Rose, knocked my socks off with her solo acoustic set, I wasn’t so in to the second group, the Darcys, yet they were a good pumping band for what was to come in the headlining slot, and BBC was everything and more than I had hoped for. 

Bombay Bicycle Club made their way to the stage, they captivated me for their entire set regardless of my evening’s circumstances, and THAT is a sign of a great show. Their interwoven guitar harmonies and melodious leads split me through for the rest of the night. Not only was their performance to be savored, but I watched how their frontman (Jack Steadman) was glad to speak with and smile at every fan that made their way to him. At one point, him and Lucy stood next to me while the Darcys were playing, and it almost felt like I had some friends there with me (pathetic). 

All in all I learned that I never want to see a show alone again, as that is really a majority of the experience. As I left the doors of the Doug Fir, I found Kyle and Arica had waited the whole time so I wouldn’t have to take the bus, as we carpooled there; now THAT’S friendship! 

Above is a clip of two songs from their debut album, I had the blues but I shook them loose. I recorded these two because Melody wanted to see at least one song and this was the only album we had listened to at the time. The first is entitled Morning/Evening and the second is called Cancel On Me (you can also hear a brief intro to Lamplight at the tail end). 

Check out the video! I filmed it in HD so if you want to watch it in 1080p just follow this link!

-James

(via lucyrosefansite)