THE MEANDERWALKER

Last night’s outing to the Duke Coffeehouse in Durham to see The Octopus Project evoked a complex mixture of emotions, including but not limited to the following:

• Nostalgic for a time when it was okay not to wear shoes in a public setting, showering was optional, and it didn’t matter whether it was Sunday night or Tuesday or Saturday or whatever — otherwise known as college.
• Complete repugnance for mesh shorts.
• Angry at the prospect of getting home at 2am on a Sunday because sound check took two hours.
• Annoyed that only half the bands scheduled to play were actually playing the show and that none of the bands had anything in common.
• A little bit more nostalgic mixed with a good, strong helping of distaste for listening to college kids wax philosophical about how their perfect date involves movies and cheese while sitting on old dirty couches, instead of listening to the band I went there to see — or any music at all, for that matter.
• Disappointed in the booking and management of a venue where professional touring bands come to play.
• Finally, awestruck with happiness and glee while The Octopus Project played. Among many other instruments used, a Theremin was involved.

So — despite the delays, the horrible sound guy who didn’t know how anything worked, the obnoxious college kids, the drunken bro-dudes, and The Octopus Project not going on until about 12:40am — it was a really good show, and I regret that I didn’t see them at the Local506 a couple of months ago.

Their stage design was cute, simple (not counting the number of instruments and cables involved) and created a good atmosphere for their show — it included cloud-like details, christmas lights, sheets made into characters covering the amps, and a dvd of obscure video footage playing in the background — perfectly accompanying their songs which are even more energetic, intense and fun live than they are on their records.

Most of all, stage props or not, The Octopus Project exemplifies the kind of music that doesn’t require vocals and lyrics to progress and feel cohesive. In fact, when I first got their albums, I’m certain I listened to them several times — granted I was at work, so I wasn’t giving them the most acute listen — before I even realized there were no vocals. They carefully — yet almost recklessly — combine layers and layers of electronic noise and beats with guitar and live percussion to create new wave pop ballads that embrace all aspects of synth pop and generate a sound that is distinctly of this era.

But, aside from their records, I like The Octopus Project for a few other reasons, including all of the other things they create in addition to music. Not just t-shirts and buttons, but characters and artwork and wallets and toys and lots of other handmade things that go along with their whole performance. You know… music isn’t the most functional of creations; you write it, you perform it, you listen to it, it fills up silences, some might even dance to it if they are so inclined, but it doesn’t necessarily have a function. But I like the idea of using music as a vehicle for other creations, and creating those things while riding around in their van from show to show.

Using music to incite other creations that serve a function; the collision of different artforms at one axis; the difference between performance and performance art… This is all leading up to me telling you that I got this while I was at the show:

His name is Slampy, and he is a plush doll that was handmade by one of the band members. Obviously, this is better for me than a band t-shirt at this point in my life.

To see their other artwork and things, go HERE.

And then go download some of their tunes HERE.