Early Friday morning in the high desert outside of Palm Springs, menacing Baltimore synth pop band Future Islands was responsible for a memorably challenging, if ultimately victorious, sold-out gig. <\/p>\n
Drawing a wild bunch of uber-fans to journey up a winding, moonlit road to Pappy & Harriet's, the far-out roadhouse at the edge of cellphone coverage, the quartet performed one of its typically rambunctious shows. <\/p>\n
Featuring the magnetic, polarizing vocalist\/growler Samuel T. Herring prowling the stage, pumping his chest and priming the crowd like a football coach, the band played songs, many from its new album \"Singles,\" to a room packed so tight that at one point a bouncer trying to calm the chaos near the front just stopped and shook his head in defeat. <\/p>\n
FULL COVERAGE: Coachella 2014 <\/p>\n
That part I was forced to witness on the video feed, which offered a less obstructed view -- as in, you could see more than the top of the bands' heads without getting squished or gobbled up. <\/p>\n
The group is in the area for its two gigs down the road at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, riding a wave of newfound popularity due to a breakout display of its \"Seasons (Waiting for You)\" on \"The Late Show With David Letterman\" that has since gone viral. <\/p>\n
If you haven't seen the clip, you should, as the four minutes of airtime explains the varied responses to Herring's bold approach as a lead singer. He did the same at Pappy & Harriet's -- and the other times I've seen the band over its eight-year life. Fearless, focused, passionate in both vocalizing and performance, the singer grooved to the catchy synthesizer, beat and bass-powered songs with a joyous defiance. <\/p>\n
Shuffle-stepping his feet with knees bent and rubbery, Herring did this little chicken-head thing with his neck in time with the high-hat while grunting out lines like a death metal singer. Other times he glided his torso to and fro, his arms gesticulating in time while nailing difficult melodic runs. He bent like a parenthesis. He popped his eyes wide, acting out lines he was singing. <\/p>\n
PHOTOS: Coachella Weekend 1 <\/p>\n
During \"A Dream of You and Me,\" he grabbed a woman's hand, crooning in perfect pitch lines of affirmation straight to her: \"All that glitters is gold -- don't believe what you've been told,\" he sang. \"People lie, people love, people go\/Beauty lies in every soul.\" <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read more from the original source: <\/p>\n
Coachella 2014: Future Islands goes late at Pappy & Harriet's<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Early Friday morning in the high desert outside of Palm Springs, menacing Baltimore synth pop band Future Islands was responsible for a memorably challenging, if ultimately victorious, sold-out gig. Continue reading