Blitzen Trapper/Fleet Foxes; April 8, 2008; High Noon Saloon

Any show on a Tuesday at the High Noon is required to start early since Tuesday is also Gomeroke night. The ridiculously popular live band karaoke takes place every week without fail. The majority of the early shows are local bands playing the always fun happy hour shows, but every so often a touring band will land there. Tuesday nights are also my volleyball night, but sometimes it works out that I can catch a show before I head to Pooleys. With an 8:30 game on the schedule, I was hoping tonight would be one of those.

After listening to both bands’ MySpace songs I was sure I would like second band Blitzen Trapper better, but I don’t think I had any idea how much I would dislike Fleet Foxes. The songs they have posted hint at their predilection toward harmony singing, they just didn’t prepare for the all-out vocal assault that awaited me. After the first song I was impressed with the mix of voices as all band members sang. After the second I was sure the next song would be a cover of the Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road.” After the third I wanted to ask if maybe just once only one of them could sing at a time. And after the next I wanted to scream it. And well, for the rest of their set I just had to sit on my barstool and wait, hoping after each harmonic beating that they would say those magic words “thank you, good night,” or even that hint of hope line, “thanks, this is our last song.”

They did eventually stop of course, but far later than I would have liked, and by the time Blitzen Trapper was ready to play I could only stay for a handful of songs. What I heard I liked… figures. Instead of stopping at 8:30 they played all the way up until 9, which meant I missed far more than I thought I would. Likeable rock from a bunch of mop-haired young hippies, their mix of pop, electronic and even a dash of country was very listenable. I left wishing I had time to buy their CD, and wondering why they were touring with Fleet Foxes.