I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: September 12, 2017] Public Service Broadcasting

I first saw Public Service Broadcasting on their amazing Tiny Desk Concert.  I was blown away that J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth could make such complex and satisfying music with just the two of them (all the while projecting visuals behind them that matched the songs perfectly.

I instantly put them near the top of the list of bands that I wanted to see live.  But I also put them very high on my list of bands that I’d be unlikely to see live since I assumed they played primarily in the UK (whether they have recently played festivals).  Plus, how likely were they to come to the US to tour their most recent album which is all about coal mining in Wales (seriously–and it’s fantastic).

Well, when I saw that they were playing The Foundry, I bought a ticket immediately.  I figured that the show would either be unattended or sold out.  Well, sadly for the band, it was barely attended, but luckily for me, that meant I got to hang out right in front of the stage (and even meet the guys afterwards).

But even if there were only 100 or so people, the band didn’t act like the crowd was puny (because everyone there was really into it).  They played an amazing show and I’m thrilled to have seen it.

In the way of bands who don’t have roadies, all three guys were there to tune up their gear for about ten minutes before they ultimately left the stage and then came back on fresh and new.  It gave them time to put up the test pattern above.

I parked myself right in front of J. Willgoose, which was awesome seeing everything he did.  I joked with my friend Marcus (who has seen the band 6 times in the States and was going to Brooklyn the following night to watch them again) that I didn’t know where to stand.  J. Willgoose overheard and said it didn’t matter because they didn’t do anything interesting.  This was utterly false, as it was great watching everything that J. Willgoose did with guitars, keys, foot pedals, and so much more.  He even played percussion.  I only wish I had been a little to the left because I was actually so close, his keyboard was blocking some of the rest of the stage (the horrors).

The band has about 35 songs out and aside from one or two favorites I didn’t care what they played.  They played a wonderful mix of songs from all three of their albums.

They opened with two songs from the new album, “The Pit” and “People Will Always Need Coal.”  It’s really interesting to know these songs from the album and then to see where all of the sampled quotes come from (movies and newsreel clips).   But what was even more interesting was seeing just how much J. Willgoose does.  He loops his playing (and it’s not just simple chords–watching his fingers move around the fretboard, I had no idea the songs were so complex).  I also enjoyed watching his feet mess around with the colorful pedals under the keyboard.

He also seems to be triggering the video screens.

I wasn’t quite prepared for how big the band would sound.  Their records are full, sure, but I didn’t know how well it would be replicated live.  But between J. Willgoose’s setup and the incredible drumming from Wrigglesworth, I was really blown way.  Wrigglesworth doesn’t have a fancy kit but he plays complex rhythms and adds a lot of drama.  It was fun to watch him play as well.

Since the Tiny Desk Concert, they have added a third member, JFAbraham.  He plays mostly bass guitar, but he’s also got a keyboard and, on two songs, a flugelhorn.  From my location it wasn’t always easy to see him.  But occasionally J. Willgoose would move and I’d get a nice view of JFAbraham.

In the Tiny Desk show, nobody spoke–J. Willgoose interacted with the crowd by playing samples from his computer–a robotic voice saying “Thank you very much.”  But for this show, J. Willgoose was quite chatty.  He talked to us about various things and seemed flattered when a woman from D.C. said she came up to see them because they didn’t book a show down there (and I thought my hour drive was long).  He explained the Byzantine requirements for booking shows in Washington D.C.

He did play the computer voice a few times.  “thank.  you.  the.  foundry.”  But he had to fill extra time while he set up and tuned one of his six or seven different guitars (and banjo).

I was excited that they played “Theme from PSB” because it was fun watching him play the vocal samples of “public” “service” “broad broad broad casting.”  It was followed by one of their noisier songs “Signal 30” which features samples from driving movies–with crashes and screams and everything else.  It’s fairly intense and it really rocks.

Then it was back to their first album from “Night Mail” (as he bangs the neck of his guitar to keep the chords going).  Then they finally played some songs from The Race for Space.  This is the album I know best so I was really excited to hear stuff from it. “E.V.A.” was first.  The guys next to me (who were pretty drunk by this time) were yelling things during the quiet part.  I believe they were shouting for Yuri (Gargarin) even though this was about the first spacewalk which was by Alexey Leonov.

But the drunk guys were clearly fans (apparently from Wales) even if they were being annoying.

Next came the wonderful new single “Progress.”  J. Willgoose even sang the robotic “I believe in progress” before the gorgeous voice of Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura rang out in the small venue.  They stayed with the new album for “They Gave Me A Lamp,” the latest single, which features some cool xylophone and the flugelhorn.

And then it was back to the first album for the awesome song (and the first one of theirs that I really got into) “Spitfire.”  It was amazing watching him play that riff, jump back to the keys, then play that riff over and over again.

I wasn’t sure if they would play “The Other Side.”  This is long song that I find incredibly moving.  It’s about the Apollo 8 spacecraft and how it went beyond the far side of the moon for the first time.  It lost contact with Houston for many tense moments.  The music builds tension until silence as we wait for the spacecraft to make first contact after losing all communication. They build the tension perfectly and when they ship comes back around, the band bursts forth in excitement.  I was concerned that the drunken guys would ruin the quiet part, but they were totally respectful and made the whole experience awesome.  Of course framing J. Willgoose inside of the moon was pretty cool, too.

They stayed in space with my favorite song of theirs, “Go!”  The song is super catchy and fun and the video is neat and I was so excited that they played it.  And I loved when they had shut down and Wrigglesworth was able to take a “solo.”  Although PSB is not a band to sing along to because well, there aren’t really any words.  But we can still cheer along to the repeated “Go!’s.”

They played the incredibly rocking and noisy “All Out” from the new album and it was loud (how amusing to see a guy in a bow tie rock like that) and “Lit Up” from the first album (a song I knew least of all).  And then they went for an encore break.

After the break they came back for their two major set closers:

A terrific version of “Gagarin” another rocking catchy song was followed by the show ender: a fantastic version of “Everest.”   And then it was all over.  And as they began the show, they ended it with a visual thanks.

Initially, I thought Clark would come with me to the show since he likes these guys.  But it was on a Tuesday night a few days after school started and that seemed to be pushing our luck.  Sarah wished that she had come as well, but same thing with the early classes the next day for her.  Alas.

The band finished fairly early (around 10:30) which was fine.  It got me home by 12 which is , yes, too late for a school night.   The Fillmore was apparently getting ready for another show the next night and had some kind of curfew.  I wonder if we were supposed to get one more song (the following night they got 16).

The Foundry guys were cool about it but asked they we keep our chatting to a minimum. Nonetheless, J. Willgoose was very friendly and talked with us and signed my single. And on the way out while Wrigglesworth was taking apart his kit, he and JFAbraham talked and signed it as well.

The show was incredibly satisfying and I would totally see them again, next time maybe the whole family can come along.

• The Pit
• People Will Always Need Coal
• Theme From PSB
• Signal 30
• Night Mail
• E.V.A.
• Progress
• They Gave Me a Lamp
• Spitfire
• The Other Side
• Go!
• All Out
• Lit Up
• encore
• Gagarin
• Everest