Sometimes you simply don’t know how to begin: in life, in a sentence, in a breath. But, isn’t that the beauty? The uncertainty, that is. Cursive’s album, The Ugly Organ, has accompanied me through many fuck-ups, dark nights leading into dim mornings and even intimate evenings paired with red wine and riveting sex. They performed that album in full at The Social for me and a sold out crowd.
“This record is confusing,” lead singer Tim Kasher wrote on the cover of that album which I brought to his last solo show in Orlando (2013). He signed it and and took a shot of well-whiskey with me. I don’t agree, however. Not one little bit. That album is one of the brightest fucking lights I’ve ever held. I scream it loud and out-of-key, alone. I mouth the words to myself while I’m taking a piss, adjacent to a house full of friends. I let it sink in, past my hair, into my skin. That record fucking makes sense. A lot of it, even.
Megafauna and Beach Slang opened the show. Beach Slang was <expletive> super. The kids in the pit sang along to Beach Slang’s honesty-spilling stanzas like an army of honey badgers, not giving a shit. Their love for this band is true. And that is admirable. I’ll be seeing them again, and singing along next time, too.
“I write a lot. It’s mostly lies. I fall in love… to pass the time.”
From “Dirty Cigarettes.”
I like whiskey. A lot. And so does Tim Kasher who coaxed the crowd to surf him to the bar for a shot of Jameson then crowd surfed back. Despite my sincere, nostalgic appreciation for The Ugly Organ, this was the best Cursive show I’ve ever attended. The way their drummer utilized his internal volume-knob ever-so-dynamically on his cymbals and hi-hats couldn’t have been better. Each accent was just as loud as it ought be at the time, and in the right place, too. Their cellist was expected to be a show-stealer. However, everyone else in the band was so fucking great that she just fit in like any other piece of the confusing puzzle.
“A Gentleman Caller” is my favorite Cursive song. Yes, the lyrics are great, however, it’s the change of weather that makes that song so perfect. It begins like waking in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm at sea. “And in the morning, on the sober dawn of Sunday,” everything is calm, but also broken. You’re left to repairs but “the worst is over.”
My second, third, and fourth favorite Cursive songs were performed (in order), “Art Is Hard,” “The Recluse” and “From The Hips.” Don’t believe me? Check out the setlist that I was gifted after the show (thanks to Gabe’s friend). 🙂
Kasher continuously delivers a pure passion but this was the brightest he’s ever bled for Orlando. Maybe Tim thinks the record is “confusing” because he still sings all those songs so effortlessly ardent. Maybe even more so than songs from Cursive’s other albums?
Cursive Live Review by Mitch Foster.
Cursive Live Concert Photos by Adam Fricke.
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â–Ľ SHOWS TO GO TO â–Ľ
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- The Commission Beer Chamber
- Kingfish Records (Clearwater)
- Nora's Sugar Shack!
- Park Ave CDs
- Montgomery Drive Presents
- RT-Art Printing
- The Mary Jane 'High-Quality' Art Gallery
- The Owl's Attic Vintage Shop
- Broken Strings Brewery
- American Combat Club
- Lazy Moon Pizza
- Ten10 Brewing
- Leguminati
- Mutiny Ocala
- The Tipsy Skipper
- Conrad's Beer Shanty
- AKT Shirt Printing
- Smartpunk Records & Shop
- No Clubs Presents
- DaddyKool Records
- Galactic G Skateshop