low
friday, november 8, 2002 • the paradox, seattle wa
• review by janice • pics by mike


review: This show happened, like, a month ago, but as I'm sitting here listening to "Trust" again, for the millionth time, I'm reminded of how beautiful the show was and felt compelled to write. Low are just...breathtaking! (sigh) Gosh, I love them so much!

So, when the show first started, I almost got the impression that the band was upset. Alan seemed annoyed with the sound levels, motioning to the sound guy as he sang, and then shaking his head furiously in-between the verses. Also, Mimi looked a little off, staring out into the distance, and running her hand through her hair absent-mindedly.

But if they were in bad moods, they didn't let it affect the quality of their performance. They opened with "(That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace" and it sounded gorgeous. And when Mimi started to sing "Tonight", I must say I got the hugest-girl-crush on her. She just looked so beautiful in the soft lighting of the club, with her thick pretty wavy hair, and that amazing angelic voice...I swooned! Mimi Parker rules!!! Can you imagine being Hollis and having that voice singing you lullabies every night? Sigh!

But anyway! When Low performed "Canada" the audience responded so enthusiastically, Alan commented, "Well, I guess people really prefer the rockers..." to which the audience then launched into protest.

When they set out to play "Point of Disgust" (which I love), Zak's keyboard wouldn't work. And, thankfully, the Paradox just happened to have an old piano set up in the corner of the stage. So, they did this beautiful impromptu stage set-up, with Alan bringing a lamp from the other side of the stage over to illuminate the keys for Zak, and then sitting next to him on the piano bench to hold up the top-lid-thingie of the piano to help the acoustic carry across the club. So, it was just Zak playing the delicate piano melody and Mim's amazing voice, and Alan singing back-up sans microphone, just belting it out from the piano bench. It was just one of those moments that you didn't dare breathe because it was that precious and beautiful. Oh melt!

As the night went on, Low seemed to cheer up. (Or maybe they were never in bad moods to begin with, and I'm reading too much into it...) Zak and Alan told some really bad jokes! Alan's joke involved a guy, sitting around "watching TRL" and I think hearing Alan say "watching TRL" made me laugh harder than the punchline of the joke! And Mike and I think it's so cool that Zak gets to sing more and seems to interact with the audience more than he has in the past.

But all in all, it was a gorgeous night. We wanted to see them play again the next night at the Crocodile, but when we got to the club, it was sold out! I was soo heartbroken!

related links


• check out more awesome pics of the show at photophonic.com!