Minus the crowd

With a crowd of indie-rock faithfuls comfortably packed into a dimly lit Tralf Music Hall on Sunday night, Minus the Bear took the Main Street stage ready to please the eager fans.

Although the crowd wasn't easily convinced, MTB wasn't the only impressive band to play that evening.

Ela, a quartet from the Twin Cities of Minnesota, kicked off the show as people filed into the venue. The band warmed up the crowd with a set including songs from their latest record, Real Blood on Fake Trees. As the set came to a close, another surprisingly talented group of musicians were set to take the stage.

Subtle was next, bringing their fresh brand of electronic based rock to the stage, blending hints of hip-hop vocals with a wide variety of more obscure instruments not often used in their style of music.

Consequently, Subtle is one of the most ironic names ever chosen by a band. There was a cellist rather than a bassist, as well as a combination of electronic and drum kit percussion. One member also shuffled through an arsenal of wind instruments, mixing in sounds ranging from saxophone to flute.

All of this backed the erratic, stop-and-start vocals of front man Doseone (a.k.a. Adam Drucker), who also provided the melody from his keyboards.

The unusual musical arrangement was accompanied and unfortunately overshadowed by the bizarre stage presence of the band, most notably from their vocalist.

He began by asking how everyone was doing. Unsatisfied with the response, he added, "Well that's good - for a funeral. Make some noise!"

Sporting a sash lined with what seemed to be numerous forks, the eccentric singer played with several props; at one point he heaved a number of plastic utensils into the midst of many unappreciative listeners.

The set was engaging from start to finish, though, with Subtle showcasing their talents to an unwelcoming crowd that couldn't seem to get past the band's bizarre antics.

These are the kinds of performances that need to be appreciated so that a band feels more inclined to return to an area to play again.

The crowd's indifference to the second opener also meant something else: they were primed and ready to welcome Minus the Bear with open arms, and with a refreshingly short wait in between, the headliners took over and were unrelenting.

Starting off with "Knights," the first single from their latest record Planet of Ice, the boys from Seattle reeled in their listeners. An eruption of balloons shot up from the pit right as the song kicked in, and the band's performance seemed to be continuous until the show was over.

The band was tight while they played the majority of their new record, which was to be expected, while not disappointing by mixing in a heavy dose of older favorites, including "Drilling" and the always popular "Pachuca Sunrise."

The set finished with the final track off Planet of Ice, the lengthy, captivating jam "Lotus." This led into expected chanting from ecstatic fans, pleading with the band to play one more song. Minus the Bear returned shortly with a two-song encore, feeding the frenzy, leading it off with the new track, "Burying Luck."

The band met the expectations of the music hall, leaving no doubt that they came to play a well-coordinated, fast-paced rock show. Greeted with love, they gave reason to believe that the affection will bring the band back to the area time and time again.

And though it is unfortunate that Subtle wasn't received as well as their surprisingly fresh performance warranted, attendees will likely remember Doseone's final piece of advice: "Remember, never take ho for an answer."