Consider The Source with Tweed at Ardmore Music Hall 12/1
Words: Sean Sabo | Photos: Alex Buschiazzo
We have now rolled into December, the final month of an interesting 2016, with yet another great show at the Ardmore Music Hall. Billed as two sets by Consider the Source (hereafter CTS) with local stalwarts Tweed as “openers,” the show was actually much more intricate. That is because CTS opened the show with a set of ALL Radiohead covers, followed by a set from Tweed, then the night was anchored by a raucous set of original material by CTS.
As only an occasional Radiohead fan, CTS actually energized my enthusiasm in returning to the English band’s back catalog. Beginning the show with the classic “Paranoid Android”, CTS showed the audience this wasn’t going to be your typical cover set as the band put their unique stamp of self-described “Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion” into these rock songs. Gabriel Marin (on fret-less double-neck guitar) quickly brought the heat early and often. The band then played "2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.)" and the hard-hitting (and slapping) notes of bassist John Ferrara were on full display. I appreciate a good bass/drum tandem to anchor any band, and both Ferrara and drummer Jeff Mann are on another level. The song “Reckoner” from the album In Rainbows followed and saw Ferrara taking a seat, literally, to use an additional instrument, something akin to a foot-pedal organ, to add to the song before the band brought the tune to a blistering end. Next up was the first track off Amnesiac, “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box”, on which Marin employed a Tanbūr instead of his normal double-neck guitar. The song began slow and methodical before working up to a tempestuous, jammy end. Mann on the drums brought the beat and the heat to the tunes, leading to many in the audience getting a groove on. For the next song, “Backdrifts”, Ferrara played the song using a Mezzo SlapStick to add another interesting and unique CTS touch. Ferrara then performed solo for a song before the band rejoined to finish the set with “15 Steps” and “Exit Music (for a Film)”, the latter of which saw Mann come from behind the kit to perform on acoustic guitar at the beginning and end of the song, while the middle section built to a crescendo. The band left the stage to make way for Tweed, but the surely left the audience in awe for the hour of well-played and innovative renditions of Radiohead tunes.
As only an occasional Radiohead fan, CTS actually energized my enthusiasm in returning to the English band’s back catalog. Beginning the show with the classic “Paranoid Android”, CTS showed the audience this wasn’t going to be your typical cover set as the band put their unique stamp of self-described “Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Fusion” into these rock songs. Gabriel Marin (on fret-less double-neck guitar) quickly brought the heat early and often. The band then played "2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.)" and the hard-hitting (and slapping) notes of bassist John Ferrara were on full display. I appreciate a good bass/drum tandem to anchor any band, and both Ferrara and drummer Jeff Mann are on another level. The song “Reckoner” from the album In Rainbows followed and saw Ferrara taking a seat, literally, to use an additional instrument, something akin to a foot-pedal organ, to add to the song before the band brought the tune to a blistering end. Next up was the first track off Amnesiac, “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box”, on which Marin employed a Tanbūr instead of his normal double-neck guitar. The song began slow and methodical before working up to a tempestuous, jammy end. Mann on the drums brought the beat and the heat to the tunes, leading to many in the audience getting a groove on. For the next song, “Backdrifts”, Ferrara played the song using a Mezzo SlapStick to add another interesting and unique CTS touch. Ferrara then performed solo for a song before the band rejoined to finish the set with “15 Steps” and “Exit Music (for a Film)”, the latter of which saw Mann come from behind the kit to perform on acoustic guitar at the beginning and end of the song, while the middle section built to a crescendo. The band left the stage to make way for Tweed, but the surely left the audience in awe for the hour of well-played and innovative renditions of Radiohead tunes.
Up next were Philly locals (by way of the University of Delaware), Tweed. The jamtronica band started their set with “RLWRLD”, with synth-vocals from Jon Tomczak (keys, vocals). Dan McDonald (bass) brought the beat in along with Joe Vela (drums) and they got the audience grooving along quite easily to begin the set. Next up was a song called “Sweet”, I believe, which had Tomczak really laying down a groove on keys. “Don’t Be That Guy” was up next and saw AJ DiBiase (guitar, vocals) riffing on some funny phrases for people not to “be that guy”. The jam then got pretty spacey and groovy before ending with a reprise of the lyrics. Tweed then played Loup-Garou before ending their set with cover of the a-ha classic “Take on Me”. It was obvious that the band had some dedicated fans in the audience who didn’t want them to leave the stage, but Tweed delivered a great hour-long middle set and made way for CTS to return for their second batch of songs.
CTS started off their reappearance with “Aquarians” by slowly getting the crowds attention before they revved it up hard to start the last batch of music for the night. The incredible 10-minute song get some heads banging at the ending. The trio of songs “Wandering Bear”, “( | )” (not a song name, more of a hand gesture),and “This Dubious Honor” were up next, with the latter having a sweet, thoughtful start before Marin utilized his guitar pedals to coax out vibraphone-like notes from his axe. “Do Not Shrink Me Gypsy” and “White People Problems”, which included a great drum solo from Mann, anchored by Ferrara, before Marina and Ferrara did some music jousting that eventually led to them both letting loose. Beginning with some ambient ad-libbing, CTS launched into one of their oldest songs, “Abdiel”. Mann, on synth drum kit, and Ferrara then laid out some rhythm beats before they ended the song with heat.
The band ended the night first with Ferrara performing solo for a few minutes in a brilliant technical display before Mann and Marin returned to the stage to rock out the waning minutes of their set, evidenced by Marin now hair-out and ready to rock (he typically wears a kippah for CTS shows). After nearly an hour and a half, the band thanked the audience and had them participate in the “mannequin challenge”, hoping to best their buddies in the band TAUK, who they would be playing with on Saturday night in Lancaster, PA. Having seen the band a year ago for the first time at Ardmore with Out of the Beardspace, I can now say, after this show, that I will unequivocally go to see them anytime they are in the Philadelphia area. And you should too! It is quite the experience.
Full set videos from Consider The Source and Tweed by Chris Cafiero
Tweed
Consider the Source currently has a free sampler up on their site, but be sure to check out and purchase their albums and merch on bandcamp as well (https://considerthesourcemusic.bandcamp.com/merch).
weed is also on bandcamp, which includes a new studio album The Chunky Life and live album from 2016 Luna Light Festival (https://tweed.bandcamp.com/album/).
Consider the Source 1st Set:
Paranoid Android, 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.), Reckoner, Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, Backdrifts, Ferrara solo (not sure song name), 15 Steps, Exit Music (for a Film)
Tweed set:
RLWRLD, Sweet, Don't Be That Guy, Loup-Garou, Take on Me
Consider the Source 2nd Set:
Aquarians, Good Point Wandering Bear, ( | ), This Dubious Honor, Do Not Shrink Me Gypsy, White People Problems, Abdiel, Ferrara solo and final song(uknown)
weed is also on bandcamp, which includes a new studio album The Chunky Life and live album from 2016 Luna Light Festival (https://tweed.bandcamp.com/album/).
Consider the Source 1st Set:
Paranoid Android, 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.), Reckoner, Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, Backdrifts, Ferrara solo (not sure song name), 15 Steps, Exit Music (for a Film)
Tweed set:
RLWRLD, Sweet, Don't Be That Guy, Loup-Garou, Take on Me
Consider the Source 2nd Set:
Aquarians, Good Point Wandering Bear, ( | ), This Dubious Honor, Do Not Shrink Me Gypsy, White People Problems, Abdiel, Ferrara solo and final song(uknown)