Close Talker live at Spike Hill

Earlier this week, when listening through the new album releases, I discovered Flux by Close Talker – which I reviewed here. It’s a great album, and I couldn’t believe my luck that coincidentally with coming across the album, the band is also touring and playing at one of my favorite venues: Spike Hill. In another coincidence, and more like a side note, yet a sad one, I had to learn yesterday that Spike Hill will close come mid December. 

That knowledge alone made the show by Close Talker already a special one but what Matthew Kopperud (guitar, vocals), Will Quiring (vocals, guitar), Chris Morien (drums, vocals) and for this tour only Matt Castle (bass, vocals) filling in for Jeremy Olsen put on stage was phenomenal. There was quite some buzz going and the crowd knew that they were in for a treat. Close Talker played mostly material from their new album but also previously released songs like Creature or To The Coast as well as She’s On Fire.

There are bands that sound great live and their recorded songs might sound a little dull, and then there are those bands who release great songs and yet nothing ignites when they play live. Not so with Close Talker. They sounded live as good as on their impressive full length album, which even looks good in its white marble vinyl version. 

== All concert photos by glamglare.com – Elke Nominikat and Oliver Bouchard ==

After the show, when I briefly chatted with some of the band members, I learned that Matt Castle was filling in on bass and backing vocals but he’s also pursuing his own musical project with the winning name Castle River (kudos to great last names!) which I yet have to listen into. And with Matthew Kopperud I chatted a bit about New York, touring, favorite drinks (we share the same) and another band from Canada, also a four piece with similar instrumentalization but very different vocals yet equally cool: The Darcys and surely enough, Matthew knows Jason and his The Darcys band mates as well.  

Follow Close Talker on Facebook, check out their tour dates and dream yourself out of this (East Coast) cold by listening to some rich, lush and dreamy guitar sounds on Flux