Rockin' Out: The Manchester Orchestra/Biffy Clyro @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza 04/02/10

After two nights in a row of live music with less than stellar fellow audience members (see what I'm talking about here and here), I was a bit worn out by the time The Manchester Orchestra and Biffy Clyro rolled into town, but I sucked it up and headed over to the venue to enjoy some rock n roll.


I've been a big fan of Biffy Clyro since I got turned onto to their 2008 album Puzzle. They are most definitely a criminally underrated band. Perhaps it is because they occupy a musical territory between straight up hard rock ala Foo Fighters and Stone Temple Pilots and more alternative/indie rock like tourmates The Manchester Orchestra that confuses people, but whatever the reason is, it is a crying shame. This was my second time seeing Biffy Clyro perform live and turned out to blow the first time out of the water. High energy, tight playing and of course killer songs always equal a great performance. What was cool was that the crowd that was there (a fairly impressively sized one for a band playing second on a four band bill) was also very into it. Not sure if these were fellow fans or new converts, but either way, everyone seemed impressed. And the cherry on the top of the sundae was that everyone in the crowd was behaving themselves this evening haha. Thank God for the little things.

I forget the name of the band that played between Biffy Clyro and The Manchester Orchestra, but they were terrible. They sounded like a really, really, really bad Band Of Horses knock off and the singer was this dufus bearded hipster looking guy bouncing around in a sweater vest. So forgettable. By the time we finished suffering through that performance and The Manchester Orchestra hit the stage, I had simply lost all interest in being there and ducked out after a few songs. I own both of The Manchester Orchestra's albums and think they are alright, but have honestly only listened to each of them two or three times, so I'm not a dedicated fan. My good buddy over at Banana In The Tailpipe LOVES them and swears up and down that the show was amazing, but I'll just have to take his word for it. I'll simply have to try and see them another time and hopefully when I have a bit more energy and attention span to spare.

Biffy Clyro "Mountains"



Biffy Clyro "Machines"



The Manchester Orchestra "I've Got Friends"