We arrived at the Milky Way, a Jamaica Plain bar/bowling alley/live music venue at around 10:45 p.m. Having missed the evening's opening band, Araby, we grabbed a drink at the bar and settled in for what proved to be one of the best shows we've been to in a long time.
Set Director, a band that has been together only two months, set up slowly on stage, checking the sound system as well as paying respects to the sea of personal friends that lingered to the right of the stage. Influenced by bands such as Bell & Sebastian and the Velvet Underground, Set Director consists of four instruments: lead guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. At the Jamaica Plain gig, the band played considerably well for one that has only practiced a handful of times. It was clear, however, that time will lead to an even tighter repertoire of songs.
Set Director's lead singer, who goes by the name Jesse, began with vocals that resonated with the familiar intonations of The Clash. Each band member was consumed by the beats they created - sometimes seeing a band truly enjoy their music makes the audience enjoy it that much more.
It was uplifting to see that there was parental support for the band. Emily, the band's keyboard player and female back-up vocalist, had her own cheering section - her parents - who were among the enthusiastically dancing crowd. Even with such friends (or, more specifically, family members) present, Set Director communicated directly with the audience. "This is a song called Northern Kids and it sounds like this," they explained at one point.
The group's anxious members courted the audience's support, though the show was only their second ever live appearance. After the set, John, the bassist and a Tufts alum, personally greeted audience members as he hurried to load the band's van after the show.
Lyrics like "I've got stretch marks that you can't see" underscore Set Director's desire to create music that is both beautiful and meaningful. Musically, the band is nothing short of solid. Their set culminated in a dueling of the bass and lead guitar - a duet that seemed more like an elaborately choreographed dance - that brought a smile to everyone's lips. The two players stepped into each other and rocked out, playing as they would have done in the privacy of their own practice space, but mingling their instrumentals together perfectly.
Kitty Monkey followed Set Director with a weaker set. While the band showed its musical talent, it is forgettable in the image it tries to convey. Kitty Monkey walked onstage with an air of what can only be described as "We want to be Garbage." Many who were unfamiliar with the band's music did not seem to anticipate its lack of original sound. Kitty Hawk's slower, repetitive ballads were what brought them down a notch, seeming to serve only as filler.
All in all, the evening's performance proved to be a good time despite Kitty Monkey's uninspiring set. Garbage fans may have minded less than I did, but there's no denying that Set Director stole the show.
In the near future, Set Director hopes to obtain another keyboardist, a cellist, and a second guitarist. The band is already playing tightly at such an early stage of the game and will no doubt prove its potential in the months, and perhaps years, to come.
