Do Make Say Think/The Berg Sans Nipple | The Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA | 3/27/07
I think the most intriguing thing about opening act The Berg Sans Nipple would probably be their name. Are they referring to ice bergs? Someone named “Berg”? Me (my last name is Bergman)?! Whatever the case may be, this electronic duo certainly impressed me more with their music than with their name. Take the best aspects of Boards of Canada and Mum, throw in the occasional steel drum (seriously), and mix in some other random instruments and you get the ambient, minimalist, electronica sounds from this up and coming duo. Despite a short set, the Berg managed to leave the stage with an impressed crowd wanting more.
“That is a lot of instruments,” I thought to myself while Do Make Say Think set up their equipment. Two drum sets, countless guitars, a violin, two (three? who knows) keyboards, and enough horns for a full orchestra, it sure looked like they raided out a Guitar Center before starting their tour. Despite the mass of instruments, it was incredible how the band was able to work in synch with one another, instead of just drowning out each other’s sound. The two drummers were in perfect syncopated time and never missed a beat, while each guitarist worked off one another to build an epic, but still clear sound. The band’s mostly instrumental music was able to create the typical “wall of sound” that was at times necessary, but were still able to reign it in and let the crowd be able to take in all that was going on around them. Between old tracks like “Frederica” and new ones like “Executioner Blues”, the group was able to showcase their more down home, rootsy sound they are known for. They ended with fan favorite “The Universe”, which features a more amplified, stop-start style that differs from some of the band’s older material, but certainly impresses regardless.
More pictures are up on my flickr page as well as after th jump. Enjoy.
