Show Review

Do Make Say Think Date: March 23rd 2007 Venue: William Benton Museum (Storrs, CT) It was a very special night at the University of Connecticut’s William Benton Museum last Friday as droves of fans eagerly awaited instrumental rockers Do Make Say Think to take the stage. Hosted by student radio station WHUS, the concert was part of the university’s Spring Fling 2007 and also featured co-headliners The Fiery Furnaces. With room for only 200 spectators, the concert hall was modestly sized but provided spacious seating and standing areas at a close distance to the performers. By the time Do Make Say Think had set up all of their gear, almost every seat in the house was full. The band was greeted eagerly by the room of young fans, and they returned a sincere appreciation for getting the opportunity to play at this unusual venue. “It’s a pleasure to be here,” announced bassist Charles Spearin, “…we’ve never heard of ‘here’ before, so this is really special for us.” The band kicked things off with “Ontario Plates,” a track from one of their older albums. Mellow and slow-building, the piece featured gentle rhythm and brass accompaniment that drew the crowd little by little into the captivating atmosphere of the band’s music. The show went on to feature songs from various points in the band’s career, but with notable emphasis on material from their latest record, You, You’re a History in Rust. Earlier songs took or a more mystical, dreamy sound while many of the new ones added a refreshing spice of bluegrass and folk influence which made for a captivating and diverse performance all around. As aurally pleasing as Do Make Say Think's music is, visually their live performance proved to be almost equally entertaining. The vast array of instruments used by the band was quite a sight to be had, ranging from guitars, bass, and keyboards to horns, saxophones, and a violin. The musicians frequently switched back and forth between instruments throughout the performance, and even included a dual-bass segment in one song. The rather unconventional presence of two drummers also made quite an impression, and their contributions of subtle yet intricate rhythmic arrays added a unique touch to the music. From beginning to end, the performance proved to be a seamless journey of beautiful sounds and emotions in a rich combination of style. Through their spot-on execution of each and every song, the band members displayed a deep level of intimacy with both their instruments and each other. Their purely instrumental combination of rock, jazz and folk (to name a few) was really a one-of-a-kind experience to witness. The performance closed with “The Universe!”—an epic and hard-hitting new song that served as the grand finale for their set. When all was said and done, the crowd rose immediately to give Do Make Say Think a well-deserved standing ovation, making clear that they were truly the heroes of the night. PHOTOS Author: Sean Butze Photography: Sean Butze [ Back to Shows Index ]