By: Andrea Myers
The moderately full, somewhat chatty crowd at the 400 Bar became quietly stunned and appreciative as Planes for Spaces wound their way into their first tune. Before the headliner (another in a recent rash of bands with tongue twisting names, Austin’s I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness) even had a chance to plead their case, Planes for Spaces had stolen the hearts of most of the audience members and, for the entirety of their set, had the crowd transfixed on their every musical innuendo.
I’m sorry: I Love You, But I’ve Chosen Planes for Spaces.
Planes for Spaces don’t play songs so much as they glide from one movement into another in a sprawling, electromagnetic symphony. The power they extract from their painfully simple guitar-bass-drums lineup is dumbfounding; at moments it seems there should be seven of each member to explain the massive, crashing waves of sound that nearly knocked me off my feet. At others, they pull back so far that the notes dangle in the air, waiting to be snatched up by the next perfectly calculated crescendo.
Led by guitarist and lead vocalist Joe January, a dreamy, seemingly fictional character with a voice of gold, the band propelled themselves forward through their set with an energy so intense that it was practically visible, bouncing between the members. January, a seemingly innocent fellow, took on an expression of childlike wonderment as he sang, eyebrows raised high in a reaction to the sound of his own dreamy, towering voice. Bassist Tony Najm played with an effortless enthusiasm, his face contorting and mouth opened wide, as if the band were a roller coaster and he just happened to get strapped in for the ride. Aaron LeMay, positioned dead center at the front of the stage, played so wildly that he resembled Animal from the Muppets at times, his curly hair flying uncontrollably as he nailed down the rhythms.
Though I had heard Planes for Spaces’ debut album before, a seven-track disc appropriately titled Letters from the Waves, it was an entirely different experience to hear them live. The visual excitement of the three players is lacking on the recorded version, and the peaks and valleys that were so captivating in live performance sounded a bit muddled, like unfinished, wandering trains of thought. A highlight on the disc, “Dream Number One,” came to life and sprang into new forms as they played it live, and it was clear that their abounding excitement and impressive timing were not captured completely during their first time in the studio.
It’s no surprise that Planes for Spaces made many local critics' lists for the “Picked to Click” poll conducted by City Pages last year, but I was surprised that there wasn’t even more of a buzz surrounding this band. Having just wrapped up a stint of regular shows at the 400 Bar, Planes for Spaces leaves this month to begin touring nation. Though they don’t have any shows scheduled in Minnesota at the moment, I highly recommend catching these guys live when they make their way back into town.
Photo by David de Young.
Location Info:
400 Bar
Artist Info: Planes for Spaces
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