There is something incredibly powerful about letting the music speak for itself.
That’s exactly what This Will Destroy You does. Not one member of the band had a microphone in front of them and not one of them said a single word through their entire set. Their songs are completely instrumental and aside from the visuals playing on the screen behind them, their music and the audience… everything else was out of focus. The willingness of the band to remain silent throughout their entire set gave it a mystique and potency rarely found at a typical rock concert.
It wasn’t until they were cheered back for an encore that the guitarist picked up a live microphone on the stage, voiced their appreciation to the crowd, mentioned some of their upcoming tours and projects and set it back down never to be heard from again.
There’s an argument to be made that this band lives up to their name. Their live show actually DOES destroy you, metaphorically of course. By the time I arrived at the Teragram Ballroom the opening band Amulets had already completed their set. I wandered onto the floor amidst the soft ambient drone music coming through the PA. The crowd was a diverse mix of men and women, metal dudes and science nerds, hipsters and old guys.
When the music began the energy in the room was undeniable. The band took the stage without any bravado or overblown introductions. They came out, picked up their instruments and dove headfirst into what everyone was there for – the music.
There were no mosh pits, no crowd surfing, no fighting through a swaying crowd to keep from being knocked down. No shirtless sweaty dudes pushing through the crowd and spilling their beer, just a mass of content listeners ready to have their senses assailed by the music.
The band played a diverse set that spanned their catalog and when it eventually came to an end, the crowd didn’t budge. A dissonant ambient drone played through the speakers as the crowd whistled, cheered and clapped… and finally the band returned to the stage.
The guitarist thanked us and mentioned a few of their upcoming projects and the band played a 2 song Encore before again leaving the stage with the ambient drone humming through the speakers.
If you are a fan of the type of meditative, cerebral sound that this band creates I highly recommend seeing them live when they come to your town. Show up with an open mind and prepare to be destroyed.
Setlist:
The Mighty Rio Grande
There Are Some Remedies Worse Than the Disease
A Three-Legged Workhorse (written on setlist as “Trip Legs” )
Clubs
They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light
Dustism
Threads
Weeping Window
Burial on the Presidio Banks
Encore:
Quiet
The World Is Our _
