Saturday night. Rickshaw theatre. The most
anticipated show of the year. The album, Singles by Future Islands, had only come out two
months before but it had gripped us, kissed us, picked us up and kicked us. Tickets were hard to come by but by hook or crook everyone was
there. The energy outside the venue was palpable. We had seen the Letterman
video, we knew all the words, we were full of PBRs and Jamesons and love for
each other and the music we were about to hear. It was all very exciting and a
little bit overwhelming and Serge was getting anxious.
Slurring slightly, Serge asked a man
outside the venue for a shhhhigarette. The man said sure, he was withered and looked
like he was waiting for the #20 bus down Hastings to sleep at the Astoria
Hotel. Hat pulled down over his eyes, long army trenchcoat, he pulled out a bag
of Drum and rolled up a smoke and handed it to Serge, their eyes catching for a
second. “Are you….?” asked Serge, astounded. Yes, the man said. It was Samuel
T. Herring, lead singer of Future Islands. Milling around with the hipsters and
hangers-on outside, smoking hand rolled Drum, looking like a Main and Hastings
bum. Your music, said Serge, I love it. Mr. Herring humbly said thank you, it is
our passion, and disappeared into the crowd.
Passion indeed.
Later on stage, dressed in his customary
tight black T-shirt and jeans, Herring was
transformed. He looked like a young Bob Seger. He and the rest of Future Islands put on a show that left us
breathless. Herring pounded his chest and moved around like he was on a ski
machine while the synths carried us up and up and up. We held each others' clothes to keep from
getting trampled in the mosh and
felt the way we did every time we listened to the album, full of love and
happiness. Precious commodities these days, those two, and "Singles" supplies
them in abundance.
NLG's Albums of the Year
1. Future Islands - Singles
2. Caribou - Our Love
3. War On Drugs - Lost in the Dream
4. Alt-J - This Is All Yours
5. De Lux - Voyage
6. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
7. Bahamas - Bahamas is Alfie
8. Jungle - Jungle
9. Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband
10. Peaking Lights - Cosmic Light
