Menomena and Suckers Played Great American Music Hall - Pictures, Review

We had been digging Brooklyn band Suckers for a while now (in fact, their recent LP Wild Smile is new favorite), so we were stoked to catch them along with headliner Menomena, last Wednesday night. The second of two shows at the Great American Music Hall, both bands certainly delivered, with each one complementing the other.

We walked in just as Suckers began their set, with lead singer Quinn Walker commanding the attention of the audience right from the start. A wild man possessed (in a good way), Walker performed with abandon; falsetto notes were hit and he played all over the stage.

Singer/guitarist Austin Fisher held down the fort with his stoic manner and voice reminiscent of David Byrne. Meanwhile Pan (single moniker only) jumped from synth to mic to the trumpet and back again.

Drummer/percussionist Brian Aiken played with intense fervency, and showed the audience on more than one occasion that he could drum, play the keyboard, and sing - all at the same time. The vocal harmonies were exhilarating, and by the end of the Suckers set, the audience was singling along.

Portland's Menomena is no stranger in putting on a good show, as after nearly ten years on the scene, the band certainly knows how to carefully construct their songwriting- the crowd that packed the hall clearly knew this.

Brian Knopf, Justin Harris, and Danny Seim, all talented multi-instrumentalists (including glockenspiel and saxaphone) and vocalists, managed to both lead and be back up on each track, resulting in a beautiful display of collaboration.

The band covered most of the tracks on Mines, and captivated the crowd. Overall, we were lucky enough to attend - it was a killer show! The bands are currently making their way east, and if you've still got a chance to check them out, we recommend you do the same.

Words By Neha Gandhy

Pictures by Ujjwal Sarin

More pictures at the HAD Archive