Caution: Listening To This May Cause Euphoria

In a word, Tristeza. Another one that describes their music and performance, stunning. This San Diego-based instrumental band graced my ears at the Triple Rock on November 10th. I heard of them through friends, and they, like many other post-rock bands, floored me when I first gave their music a listen. James LaValle used to be with them, but now is in another little-known (kidding, of course) post-rock band on Sub Pop, The Album Leaf. James occassionally plays for Tristeza on some dates, so it's good to know that they're all still hanging out at times.

Though Christmas was 6 weeks away when I saw them, Tristeza felt the need to dim the stage lights and go with white Christmas lights strung around their guitar and bass lamps. A soft red spotlight covered the drummer as he executed the manic playing of old and new tunes. The new stuff is a definite expansion of post-rock, diving head-first into the psychedelic realm with a modern edge. With the pretty harmonic guitar-work, sporadic and repetitive keyboard and lavish cymbal still present, I would say it is their best work yet. Live, their songs ranged from a subdued, gentle shock to a full-bodied jolt of roaring post-rock. The drums rolled, splashed and rhythmed their way alongside steady bass riffing and spacey, jangly guitar. It was perfect!

Before Tristeza, I saw Bo.Monro at the Manhattan Loft. I met this experimental-acoustic guitarist at the 400 Bar when Swords and Talkdemonic played. He told me his love of Explosions In The Sky, and we just started talking about awesome and inspiring post-rock. We shared the love of many great bands, and there was no way I would miss seeing his 1st show here. He sat in the middle of the Loft with a plugged-in acoustic and small effects-pedal. The show was good, and I purchased his EP. The EP even inspired me to dust off my old bongo drums I once played years ago. I played along to the guitar, making up progressions and beats that coincided with the guitar (or so I thought) ; after 2 songs, I concluded that I needed more practice. Nonetheless, it was fun to get the bongos out again and play along. It almost makes me wanna do spoken-word again. Who's with me?