OK Go and Citizen Cope rock the field house
Jennifer Cox
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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At 6:30 pm, the smell of hot pavement, bus fumes, and damp grass surround the Colby Field House. The muffled sounds of the sound check are thumping from inside, and early concertgoers try to get a glimpse of the bands inside. Groups of young teenagers, who are "definitely here for OK Go," toss tennis balls back and forth, play hand games, and tackle each other onto the grass. Some have traveled for over an hour to see the Grammy Award-winning rock band and are there early to make sure they can get close to the stage. One girl has even made a ten hour journey. An older group of guys wearing baseball caps from U Maine smile and shrug as they survey the crowd around them. "We're here for Citizen Cope," they say, "We just want to hear him play."
By 8:00, Colby students start to file into line and the doors to the Field House are opened. In the vast room, everyone packs tightly into the center and tries not to lose their friends in the shuffle. After a few songs from The Campaign for the Real Time, a Boston- based band that has come to get the audience warmed up, Citizen Cope takes the stage. By this time, the crowd is swelling with anticipation and the lights go up. Cope, or Clarence Greenwood, is welcomed by cheers and clapping, but his face remains solemn as he clutches his guitar. After mumbling a few words he launches into "Pablo Picasso," a popular track off his self-titled album. The sound is fluid and rhythmic, and people sway and bob slightly. Cope says little and moves from one slow song to the next. The mood eventually rises when the opening notes for "Bullet and a Target," are played on Cope's guitar. "Son's Gonna Rise," and the newer "Sideways," are flawless in terms of quality and sound, but while some describe Cope's calm presence as "chill," others feel the set is low-energy. They're ready for someone to rock. They're ready for OK Go.
The four man band takes the stage, and immediately they're smiling and hearts are leaping into throats. They too are comfortable on stage-they've been performing together for almost ten years now-and their music bursts open with thrilling electricity. Crashing cymbals and strong guitars cut open "Do What You Want," the first song of the night. The guys are dressed in paisley shirts, smart pants, and ties. A pull down screen behind them flashes images of wall paper and scenes from their latest music videos. The lead singer, Damion Kulash, keeps the microphone close as he handles his guitar. His voice is as clear and sultry as it is on their albums. Tim Nordwin, the bassist who met Kulash at summer camp when they were eleven, sports huge glasses and a playful smile. On drums is Dan Konopka, a Chicago native with a hat and a fierce rhythm. On the corner of the stage is the band's Andy Ross, a shaggy-haired, gentle presence on keyboards and guitar.
By 8:00, Colby students start to file into line and the doors to the Field House are opened. In the vast room, everyone packs tightly into the center and tries not to lose their friends in the shuffle. After a few songs from The Campaign for the Real Time, a Boston- based band that has come to get the audience warmed up, Citizen Cope takes the stage. By this time, the crowd is swelling with anticipation and the lights go up. Cope, or Clarence Greenwood, is welcomed by cheers and clapping, but his face remains solemn as he clutches his guitar. After mumbling a few words he launches into "Pablo Picasso," a popular track off his self-titled album. The sound is fluid and rhythmic, and people sway and bob slightly. Cope says little and moves from one slow song to the next. The mood eventually rises when the opening notes for "Bullet and a Target," are played on Cope's guitar. "Son's Gonna Rise," and the newer "Sideways," are flawless in terms of quality and sound, but while some describe Cope's calm presence as "chill," others feel the set is low-energy. They're ready for someone to rock. They're ready for OK Go.
The four man band takes the stage, and immediately they're smiling and hearts are leaping into throats. They too are comfortable on stage-they've been performing together for almost ten years now-and their music bursts open with thrilling electricity. Crashing cymbals and strong guitars cut open "Do What You Want," the first song of the night. The guys are dressed in paisley shirts, smart pants, and ties. A pull down screen behind them flashes images of wall paper and scenes from their latest music videos. The lead singer, Damion Kulash, keeps the microphone close as he handles his guitar. His voice is as clear and sultry as it is on their albums. Tim Nordwin, the bassist who met Kulash at summer camp when they were eleven, sports huge glasses and a playful smile. On drums is Dan Konopka, a Chicago native with a hat and a fierce rhythm. On the corner of the stage is the band's Andy Ross, a shaggy-haired, gentle presence on keyboards and guitar.
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