MOG

For those of us fortunate enough to see and hear Great Northern perform at Spaceland last night, time seemed to stand still for about an hour as the band set down a groove that at once mesmerized and intrigued the sellout crowd that gathered in our cozy little neighborhood club. The crowd was pumped; to see Great Northern perform their 10-song set in a venue this intimate amped up the anticipation of a great show, one of those "you had to be there" nights.

Great Northern's performance was nothing short of spectacular! Beautiful vocal harmonies and swirling, gritty instrumentation consistently created a deeply atmospheric quality that was hypnotizing. This band projects a quiet confidence in themselves and their ability to deliver their unique brand of music. And it's very interesting to note that the crowd seemed to understand that too, as witnessed by their absolute silence as the players prepared to begin each song. And that was really cool, because perhaps the most satisfying aspect of Great Northern is the way they build each song "from the ground up" until, before you know it, there's so much depth and character in the sound that the groove seems to have taken on a life of its own.

And that's just the way it went last night. Rock-solid rhythms rolling out from the backline, punctuated by occasional time signature shifts, became the endless wave that the aforementioned harmonies rode to absolute perfection. And the variety of vocal sounds achieved through different mics, effects, etc. enhanced the deeply textured and polished sound that Great Northern has created its reputation on. I was told that the band extended the afternoon sound check to make sure that the sound would be perfect for the show, and it was! Kudos and thanks to Great Northern and sound mixer Joe Maiorano.

As much as last night was a "welcome back" show for Great Northern during an extensive stint of touring, one also gets the sense that this band is going places, and the sheer joy of seeing them completely on top of their game in front of their legion of loyal fans in a small club was a real treat.

If you haven't got the album, get it. It's great! If you have a chance to see Great Northern live, do it. These are four highly talented musicians who display remarkable precision and creative flexibility at every turn. Last night was awesome. It was great to see Great Northern back home and to wish them luck in all that lies ahead!

Setlist: 4 Weeks Our Bleeding Hearts Just A Dream Telling Lies A Sun A Sound Low Is A Height City Of Sleep Home The Middle Into The Sun