Manchester Orchestra : Atlanta, GA : www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra
I went to SXSW in 2006, trying to gather ideas for my college radio station, being supremely bummed out every time I walked to a show to find it was 21+ (I was 19 . . . what a bust!) I spent my days in the panels and my nights getting to as many shows as possible and I was very fortunate to have a badge and be able to bounce around as long as my feet would keep up with me. Usually it wasn't an issue just walking into a show, but as I arrived to see Belle and Sebastian, I saw a huge line outside of Stubb's. Cool, whatever, I'll wait.
SXSW is very much like rock and roll summer camp. You go from place to place and everyone talks to everyone, because we're all there for the same reason. As I was waiting in line, I start talking to a young bearded guy with the general SXSW small talk ("So, what do you do, where are you from, can't believe we have to wait in line, did you see Morrissey's sweet pomp in person? Me too!") I mention that I'm with college radio from Arizona and he mentiones his name is Andy and he's in a band from Atlanta called Manchester Orchestra. He invites me to their Paste magazine showcase the next afternoon, and I graciously accept. However, the next day I was torn between that, a Rogue Wave Day Stage showcase and one of the many dorky panels I wanted to attend, so I ended up not going. (shame on me, Midlake and Josh Ritter both played. Man, I suck sometimes)
A year later, I was browsing through (*surprise!*) Paste magazine and see a little write-up on the band, and I recognize the name and that familiar beard. "Hey, I met that guy! Cool!". I get all amp'd up and head to our campus record store to find some new tunes and low and behold there is their debut release "Like a Virgin Losing a Child" on the listening post. Finding the coincidence funny, I take a listen to a few tracks and buy it. Later that night, I'm looking through the local concert calendar (can you tell I'm a nerd?) and I see that Brand New is FINALLY playing a smaller venue in Phoenix, which I had been holding out for. I go to grab my credit card and I see that their direct support is . . . Manchester Orchestra. This is all in the course of just one day, and all too coincidental.
That night I post on my LiveJournal (geez, how many hipster cliches can I squeeze in here?) and write a bit about how I'm excited for the show, and how funny it is that Manchester Orchestra keeps popping up, and how much I liked the album I just bought. The next morning I see I got a comment that says
"Hey, I remember meeting you! Let's stand in line together at Brand New. - andy" I didn't actually end up seeing him, as most of these big shows go, but I rocked nonetheless.
A few years later I end up doing college marketing for them (their label Canvasback is a subsidiary of Columbia Records) and sharing the story again with Andy at a party when they were in town with Annuals. It's proof that this world is all too small.
Long story aside, the boys are releasing their 2nd album, "Mean Everything to Nothing" next week on Canvasback and it is now available as a full preview their MySpace. It's going to take a few more listenings, but it seems to have the same dark melodies that caught me the first time. I'll probably review it in the next week or so, once I have a copy in my hands :)
Very excited for how far they've come, and excited to hear what's next. Now, who has an extra ticket to the sold out show in NY on the 29th? Eh? Eh?
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