Review: Built to Spill at The Grey Eagle
As the crowd began to gather at The Grey Eagle on April 16, it was immediately obvious what sort of concertgoers Built To Spill draws. Most of the time when I see shows at this esteemed venue, the audience is typically made up of people I recognize from my school, Asheville High, such as at the Duster show just a week before. But upon entering the space, I was greeted by a sea of gray hair, plus beards that had probably been growing for longer than I’ve been alive. I knew from the beginning that this concert was going to be a celebration of dad rock at its finest.
The pair of international opening acts were also down for such a party. Switzerland-based opener Disco Doom enticed the hoard of people in from the bar and smoke deck with its wildly layered sound and fuzzy guitar riffs, warming up the crowd as heads began to bob and conversations started to quiet. The second opener, Oruã, transported its complex, experimental set all the way from Brazil. The quartet's patchwork of genres and Portuguese lyrics brought something to the stage that I wasn’t expecting, but greatly appreciated.
Just after 10 p.m, a still eager crowd cheered as Built to Spill vocalist/guitarist Doug Martsch stepped out of the green room, clad in a Grey Eagle T-shirt. Bassist Melanie Radford and drummer Teresa Esguerra set up while he tuned his guitar and adjusted his microphone. Seconds later, they launched into “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain” by The Halo Benders, one of Martsch’s side projects. The crowd went wild, an obvious testament to the dedication of these fans.
One thing that struck me almost immediately was what a beast this trio is. So much sound emanated from just three people — the ferocious bass playing from Radford and the steady beats laid down from Esguerra, topped by Martsch’s true-to-recording voice and fantastic guitar riffs. Whether from the band's most recent album, When the Wind Forgets Your Name, or the scrappy punk beginnings of its 1993 debut Ultimate Alternative Wavers, every song on the set list was greeted with praise from the audience.
Suddenly, the set came to an end as the band’s closing song, “Goin’ Against Your Mind,” fulfilled its purpose of leaving concertgoers clamoring for more and chanting for an encore. Back on stage after a quick break, Built to Spill wrapped up the night with its biggest hit, “Carry the Zero,” resulting in a full-blown sing-along.
As the song neared its end and the guitar began to distort, I took a second to look around. Pretty much everyone I saw had a smile on their face, and from the snippets of conversion overheard while standing in line at the merch table, a clear consensus formed: Built to Spill is a band you don’t want to miss.
(Photo by Mattie Clark)
