Two weeks ago I made a sojourn to the big city for an experience I knew would be one of those moments in life that if you let pass you by, you will always regret. I was right. It was a life changing musical event.Cinematic Orchestra played one of their THREE (what a crime) U.S. shows in New York in the last week of April. They played in a tiny little venue in the East Village called the Jazz Standard. Somehow they shoehorned their seven bodies, piles of equipment, instruments and talent onto a stage that couldn't have been more than twelve feet deep and 25 feet across (when you have a stand-up bass, a piano, a sax player, and two guitars-that's damn snug). 
These guys are musicians with a capital M. We're talking people who GET IT. They weave sound in this unbelievable web of beauty. Voice, electronic, real instruments, amazing, amazing. I was literally moved to tears. I have seen a lot of shows. I thought that maybe Andrew Bird was my favorite, or Zoe Keating..but this has to be it hands down. I just wanted it to go on and on. I don't think I could have gotten tired of hearing them play. I suspect if there weren't non-smoking laws in NYC they probably would have played longer. But they (and truthfully I) really needed some nicotine.
I also got to discover Grey Reverend, a friend of theirs who calls Brooklyn home and has done some work with them in the past. He played most of the set and did an acoustic'ish version of "Build A Home" that was breathtaking. Needless to say, I recommend you dash out today and buy everything they do and pile on the Grey Reverend while you're at it.
After the show I got a chance to chat up their road manager and their remarkable (and downright cute) sax player. They were of the opinion that there was nowhere in the south worth playing and I *hope I disabused them of this and they'll come to Atlanta. My fingers remain crossed. But, if they come back I'm certainly doing the road trip again.
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