Smoking a cigarette out his tour bus window while sipping on a rum and coke, Chris Freeman embodied the more laid-back elements of Indie rock as he discussed his dislike of touring and his progression from being Manchester Orchestra’s token “Halo” player to becoming a multi-instrumentalist for the band. Freeman was sure to pepper in “that’s what she said” jokes whenever possible.
Freeman plays keyboards and drums, and contributes background vocals and extra percussion.
Illness rarely brings good news, but when Brand New vocalist Jesse Lacey’s poor health lead to the cancellation of Friday night’s Denver show, Manchester Orchestra made the trek to Boulder at the UMC’s Club 156.
Manchester Orchestra has been around since 2005, but in the last two years the Georgia band has gone from being another hopeful Indie band to being internationally renowned.
The band’s songs are even appearing on popular TV shows; the song “I Can Feel a Hot One” was featured on “Gossip Girl” in Sept. 2008.
“That episode was huge! I was into it completely,” Freeman said. “The episode had so much meaning for me because Claire (Blair Waldorf) broke up with what’s-his-face. I remember we all decided to take a break from working on the record, so we sat down, ate dinner and watched us on Gossip Girls.”
Freeman said one of the band’s more interesting experiences occurred while playing in the UK.
“We were opening for Kings of Leon in the UK, where they’re like gods, and there were people throwing cups of piss at the stage while we were playing,” he said. “Great show, and there were people really into it, but the cups of piss was kind of a letdown.”
Manchester Orchestra’s latest album, “Mean Everything to Nothing” was released in April 2009. The songs “I’ve Got Friends,” “Shake it Out,” and “I Can Feel a Hot One” were the most easily recognized and enthusiastically received songs played Saturday night.
Manchester Orchestra’s sound transcends genres. A touch of the Decemberists’ conceptual folk combined with the same vocal intensity found in bands like Brand New and Mewithoutyou characterizes Manchester’s sound.
Dramatic guitar riffs, full-textured instrumentation and the emotionally-charged lyrics and vocals of frontman Andy Hull make Manchester Orchestra a band that melds their own brand of artistic creativity into a seamless and dramatic presentation, both live and on their albums.
Despite short notice, Manchester fans lined up outside Club 156 in anticipation for the band’s impromptu live show. The show was sold out by 8 p.m., and the last girl in line looked emotionally distressed about not getting a ticket.
When Manchester Orchestra finally took to the stage, which seemed too small to fit the entire band, there was already an electric feel in the cramped space, fists pumping in the air as Manchester opened up the night with the song “You, My Pride & Me” off their new album.
The set continued with a mix of songs new and old, including “Now That You’re Home,” “The Only One” and “The River.”
Manchester Orchestra played an eleven song set list, skipping an encore to chat with fans.
“I loved it! Everyone was really into it, and the band sounded amazing,” said Lauren Vale, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major. “I saw them in 2006 when they opened for Brand New. I was really bummed when I heard they had to cancel the show in Denver, but seeing Manchester Orchestra as an opening act in Boulder is way better.”
Despite their growing popularity, the band manages to stay down-to-earth.
“It’s funny, because people don’t always realize that we don’t really do much during the day,” Freeman said. “It’s not really rock n’ roll.”
Rather than throwing inhibitions to the wind, Freeman said Manchester tends to spend most of their time talking about life, “Halo” or zombies.
“It’s a lot of sitting around,” Freeman said.
The rock n’ roll lifestyle is a myth for the most part, according to Freeman. Especially with regards to the infamous rumor of girls flocking towards men in bands.
“Groupies don’t exist. I’ve been letting people know, I think it’s an awful, awful rumor that makes 15-year-old boys want to be in bands,” Freeman said. “I want to tell them, ‘No! It’s not like that!’”
While sex might not be a hot commodity with Manchester’s rock, alcohol and cigarettes seem to be the vice of choice for some band members.
“I get pretty drunk [before performing],” Freeman said. “Not everybody [does].”
The band has a very organic approach to song writing, but Freeman attributes most of the creativity to frontman Andy Hull.
“Andy walks in with a song, and we kind of buckle down,” Freeman said. “He’ll get it started off with a guitar line or a vocal melody and then everything just sort of falls together.”
Freeman said some of his favorite musicians include: The Mars Volta, At the Drive In, Karen O and The Kids, Say Anything, Ray LaMontagne and Radiohead.
“The record that changed my life was ‘The Bends,’” Freeman said. “I bought it when I was 15. I remember sitting in the back seat of my friend’s Mustang, and we were driving home and listening to ‘The Bends’ back to front, and I thought I had died, it was so good.”
Freeman said the band spends most of their time writing music.
“We’ve demoed a song for the next record,” Freeman said. “We’re always writing; it’s sort of what we do. If we could just write records and not tour, then that would be great. I love touring, but it’s draining; I’d like to sleep in my own bed.”
The phantom album “Nobody Sings Anymore” that was never released is always at the tip of Manchester fans’ tongues when it comes to questions.
“All the members changed. I was around when they made that record, I just wasn’t in the band,” Freeman said. “I just sat around playing ‘Halo’ all day. Andy and [Jeremiah] were the only original members, so that record was totally different from what we do now.”
The songs “The Procession,” “Slow To Learn,” and “I’d Rather Have,” from the original “Nobody Sings Anymore,” are on the EP “You Brain Storm, I Brain Storm, but Brilliance Needs a Good Editor.”
The band says they plan to release it after they’ve made a name for themselves and once their music becomes a hot commodity.
“Yeah, we want to. I mean, it’s all on the Internet, people have it. I think we’ll release it once it won’t matter if we put out a shitty record,” Freeman said. “Right now we’re still trying to make a name for ourselves, but down the road we hope to be at a point where we won’t care if we put [‘Nobody Sings Anymore’] out.”
The opening band for the night, The Builders and the Butchers, took to the stage with a wide array of instruments, including a banjo, horn and even maracas. Playing with a kind of intensity rarely seen in small clubs, frontman Ryan Sollee was sweating and looking exhausted as he lead the way for a folk revival right on the dance floor.
“They were really good and pretty lively,” said Ian Gammie, a 19-year-old freshman English major. “It’s nice when the opening act doesn’t try to take the show but still puts on a great performance.”
Few attendees were familiar with The Builders and the Butchers, but as curious fans lined up to buy their album after the show, it was clear that the folk-inspired band had hit a chord with the Boulder crowd.
“They were [expletive] awesome!” said Joelle Keith, 23. “I just heard them for the first time tonight, but I bought their CD.”
Manchester Orchestra said they would rather have fans’ attention than dollar bills.
“Don’t buy our shit, just come to the shows,” Freeman said. “Rip our records off, go online, burn them; just come to the shows. Don’t buy anything, I don’t care. Just hear our music!”
Contact CU Independent Writer Sebastian Murdock Sebastian.murdock@colorado.edu.
