Something Like Sound

The Appleseed Cast, a progressive post-rock band from Lawrence, Kansas, started out over 10 years ago. During the late 90′s The Appleseed Cast found themselves a part of the historic mid-west emo scene, grouped with the likes of The Get Up Kids and Sunny Day Real Estate. However, they are no longer even vaguely emo. Those familiar with the current national indie scene would not be far off to compare the group’s current sound to that of Explosions In The Sky. For those who don’t speak hipster, that means “heavily instrumental music with cutting edge rhythms, melodies, and harmonies.”
Expectations ran high last Saturday as The Appleseed Cast came to Denver to play at the Hi-Dive. A preview of the show ran in both Westword and The Onion, and was lauded as a highly recommended concert from both newspapers. Needless to say, there was an air of anticipation as things got underway at the Hi-Dive.

Now for the concert itself. Up first was a local group, Rabbit Is A Sphere. Their pop sound was catchy and tinged with occasional experimentation. The highlight of their set came when the group’s lead guitarist began using two slides to achieve a unique sound.

Following Rabbit Is A Sphere was the 1090 Club, a pop-indie group from Billings, Montana. The best way to describe 1090 Club is intense. Their piano and guitar driven songs were complimented by violin and a good mix of vocals.

Finally it was time for what everyone was waiting for: The Appleseed Cast. By this point in the night, the venue was packed (and I’m fairly certain that it was sold out). Ripping through song after song, they played for over an hour and a half, only stopping for five minutes to take a quick break. Focusing primarily on their newer material, The Appleseed Cast played songs from their 2006 release Peregrine and the newly released record Sagarmatha. The group’s intense and skillful delivery of “Here We Are (Family In The Hallway),” “The Summer Before,” and “Fight Song” stood out in a strong set.