Carissa’s Wierd Reunion Show – Ugly But Honest
by Kat
Everyone has go-to questions for conversations about music. Within that, a common what-if scenario comes up: “You can reunite any band. Who would it be?” For years, my first pick has been Carissa’s Wierd. I’ve daydreamed about what it would be like to experience “The Color That Your Eyes Changed With The Color of Your Hair” live since first hearing the song. The beautiful twanging of strings, Mat Brooke’s gentle, broken voice bathed in anguish, and 3 minutes: 50 seconds in, the commanding march building up to what bursts into a harmonious union of male and female vocals. It gives me goose bumps every time! I first listened to Carissa’s Wierd when “Indie” was still indie – when you knew of a band because you, or your friend, saw them play somewhere and bought their CD. Or when your local college radio station played their track late at night. A guy who had recently relocated from Seattle turned me on to the band, and he owned most of their albums. As I took in their sound, I remember holding their album art sleeve in my hands and feeling that they was something special. I knew that I had to own the records to have alone time with their music and absorb every gorgeous detail. What came next was my long effort to find their CDs to no avail – it turned out that their albums were notoriously a pain in the ass to acquire.
Before I learned that their studio albums had long been out of print – never available digitally, or on vinyl until just recently – I would visit a record store and scrape the “C” rack in the rock section, never even finding a placement card with their band name on it. I would ask the register clerk to check the store’s inventory and mention the band’s intentional misspelling: “W-I-E-R-D.” Every time, I’d have to spell it out twice, and every time the store didn’t have it. The band wouldn’t even be listed in most places. A few times, the computer results said: “In Stock: 1,” even “-1.” I tried placing special orders, too, but they never came. Even Napster had only one song available back then and any foreign site links were long expired. I’ll be honest – the exclusivity added to my devotion. It was like trying to attain your favorite band’s import singles. They were my secret weapon band, a band very few had heard of! I’ve always had the inclination to put out something meaningful about Carissa’s Weird into the world, maybe to satisfy a void that would somehow bring them closer to me. I never, ever imagined that I would be contributing these thoughts toward a live review of sorts – a performance I had seen with my own eyes and with no screen in between.
In May of 2010, I read that Carissa’s Wierd would be playing a reunion show that July at Showbox – a historic Seattle venue. I began making plans right away – pitching the idea to friends, checking flights, and mapping out a road trip. When tickets went on sale, I bought five. Unfortunately, actually attending the show came down to quitting my job, so I never got to go. I was devastated! Fast forward to August/September of this year, eight years since the last Carissa’s Wierd studio session and since the band’s last official show before they split up – information had leaked about a new CW song titled “Tucson,” and a show date in NYC! Were they really back? I thought about the possibility that they might be bad live, but it logically made sense that there was no way they could suck. They’ve always sounded so profound to me… I hear a masterpiece in every song. From the moving qualities of their musicianship to their intricately flowing song layers – the band could play.
Appearing in front of a majestic red curtain like a present wrapped in a big red bow, NYU’s E&L Auditorium ended up being the right place for a Carissa’s Wierd show. The venue’s sound was amazing! The band’s every symphonic moment was translated crystal clear; when a crescendo hit, it was very much like an on switch. If my eyes were closed during their performance, I’d tell you that I was in awe and that they were absolutely perfect. But I hate to say it, watching them was a huge disappointment. It was visually rigid – each member to his or her own but awkward together. The reality of the band being separated for so long was a clear factor for their lack of connection with one another. Feeling the disconnected, unmotivated energy emulating from the stage – the kind of “let’s get it over with” vibe, as if it were a job or a favor – was hard for me to swallow. They didn’t seem genuinely excited to be back or to be playing but maybe they were just lacking the confidence. I really can’t judge but I can only explain how I felt – like their album title, Ugly But Honest. At the same time, with only a handful of shows in two years and probably minimal rehearsal – I can understand the why… There was also a reason for their breakup in the first place.
I’m still so grateful; their sound was gorgeous! They gave us a great set that was close to two hours long. I was taken aback by Jenn Ghetto’s truly darling voice, as lusty and heartbreaking as ever and still reflecting truly uninhibited young emotions. The band was pleasantly sweet and humble in their limited interaction with the crowd, mostly consisting of “thank you” and “sorry, but we’re just not set up to play that song request.” What was very cool was the mutual vibe of the crowd – there was no doubting that the only people there were fans who came for the band and nothing else. No one was losing their shit to the music, but we cheered and clapped for every song as enthusiastically as we did the first. I never got to hear “The Color That Your Eyes Changed,” but that’s okay. I like where this leaves my history with the band. It’s a part of Carissa’s Wierd that’s still a secret, and a magic moment unchanged. But who knows? Maybe not now, but we can’t say never. It’s not over ‘til it’s over!
Tags: Carissa’s Wierd
- November 16, 2011
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