An Eclectic Evening with The Elected
The Elected (Live example from MySpace Secret Show)
The alternative/indie band, The Elected, achieves an original, eclectic sound with the inclusion of instruments that conventionally belong to different genres. By allowing their individual creativity to flow through the various talents of each band member, the uniqueness of The Elected leaves one puzzled, wondering why they have not yet garnered more national attention. The band performs with both precision and emotion, giving an expressive quality to their music. Having released three albums since 2004, The Elected possess the experience necessary to inspire their audience with powerful lyrics and performance value that indicate passion and professionalism. On June 22, 2011, the small, intimate setting of Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC allowed The Elected, and the opener, Tristan, to engage with the audience in a way that is almost impossible in larger venues. Standing a mere twenty feet away from the stage, I could see the rawness of the performances on the band member’s faces. The liveness produced as a result of the emotional energy in the music and on stage is what makes live performances one of the most fulfilling ways to experience music in an embodied way.
I, personally, felt connected to the live performance because I was not familiar with The Elected prior to attending the show. Therefore, I found myself hanging on every lyric, rhythm, and riff in an effort to absorb as much as I could of the performance. I usually take the time to immerse myself in an artist or band’s music prior to a show, but decided to see The Elected without any expectations or preconceived notions of how they might perform. As a result, I noticed the unique qualities of each song in The Elected’s varied instrumentation. For example, The Elected use a steel pan drum, violin, and lap steel guitar in addition to the more commonly used instruments of alternative/indie music—the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, and drums. The lap steel guitar usually signifies blues, country, or bluegrass music, but The Elected use it with the rhythm guitar to create a layer of extended chords on top of the rhythmic strumming of the electric and acoustic guitars, played by the lead singer, Blake Sennett (who was also the lead guitarist for the more popular indie band, Rilo Kiley). The soaring chord progressions of the lap steel guitar coupled with Sennett’s vocal range add another dimension to the music that keeps the listener anticipating when the tension of the song will be relieved in the coming chorus. A fascinating instrument, the steel pan drum is associated with Trinidad and Tobago and is commonly used in music produced in and around the Caribbean. Adding an interesting element to the sound of The Elected, the steel pan drum was used in a way that replaced keyboards. It accentuated the rhythm with lighter notes, brightening the songs that featured it. The violin, most often used in classical music, incorporated a sophisticated quality to the performance. The orchestral timbre of the violin’s strings would hover above the melody and intensify at the right moments to make certain songs bolder and more emotionally charged. People in the audience did not move around or nod their heads at these emotionally charged moments; instead, their expressions indicated that they were completely focused on the performance and intrigued at how The Elected seamlessly incorporated these unconventional instruments to create a successful fusion of international styles in their performance.
The liveness that was undeniably present at this performance was a reminder of the importance of small venues and local music scenes in which the music is whole-heartedly embraced by an audience that seeks good, live music, not a grandiose spectacle usually found at larger venues. Smaller venues offer a more intimate setting in which the audience can feel a truer sense of community and connection, as well as interaction with the artist(s). Blake Sennett frequently engaged with the audience between songs, offering short stories and a few awkward jokes that got the crowd to laugh while the rest of the band tuned their instruments. The small breaks between songs and the dynamic between band members on stage allows the casual listener to experience a familiar recording with live nuances and additions. At times, the performance could have been more interesting, if only because the set list was crafted in a way that made two or three successive songs sound similar, and perhaps lackluster. However, The Elected drew and kept the attention of the small audience of about forty to sixty people for the entire show by maintaining the energy and presence one would expect upon hearing their albums. The Elected were not simply performing their music, they were selling the emotion of it to the crowd, offering a chance for an embodied experience through metacommunication for each audience member to connect with. The raw feeling in each song, present on Sennett’s face and in his vocals, as well as in the way each band member played their respective instrument(s), lets the audience feel comfortable responding to their energy in order for an unspoken bond to form in the live performance aesthetic.
The musical hybridity of The Elected’s live performance gave the show an eclectic quality because unconventional instruments were incorporated, which blurred genres (alternative/indie, classical, and music of Caribbean origin). The lap steel guitar, violin, and steel pan drum added an unexpected fluidity to the overall sound of The Elected’s performance, even though they are an alternative/indie band. The artistic skill present was remarkable because almost every band member played more than once instrument. The stage presence of Sennett and his bandmates contributed to the liveness of the performance, which captivated the attention of the audience throughout the show. It is simply impossible to experience recorded music in the same way as live music because a live performance stimulates more senses. The Elected displayed impressive musicianship as well as a mesmerizing connection to their music and the audience.
Photo taken on night of show by the author:
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