BC Camplight at the Cluny, Halloween 2007

To promote the second single “Suffer For Two”, of their second album “Blink of a Nihilist” in the UK the Philadelphia Band BC Camplight stopped in Newcastle for the first show of this short tour. It was a Halloween gig at the Cluny with doors opening at 8pm, most concert-goers decided to show up a lot later than that time.
When he first opening band called Your Casket Or Mine stepped on stage it must have been a bit strange in the beginning seen that the only few people that weren’t members of the other bands were present at the. For this two-man band it was only their third gig. They did have something, a different fresh energy when playing their songs. But having a lot of energy is not the only thing that is important, they seemed to forget that not every song is supposed to sound like the other, the songs after about the third one started sounding similar and it was hard to tell them apart. It gave the impression of wanting to make a much noise as possible with just a guitar and a bass.
“Come hear the music play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret!” When you see and hear the Wooden Spoons you might be tempted to think yourself in a cabaret, and no there were no topless girls in the background. The hats two of them wear give it the cabaret look, and the music they play gives the whole thing the cabaret sound. Something interesting would be a collaboration with the Dresden Dolls would be so much fun. They definitely have potential. Even if the music is loud and powerful you can still hear the singing without any problem. The cabaret tune in their music gives it that little something that makes you feel like you can’t have enough of it.
Halloween, that’s what the theme of the show, was for one band, BC Camplight. They did indicate on their blog that you should dress up, well in the public we were two people in costumes, on stage that was a different story. All the 5 members of the band were wearing a costume. The funniest thing was how the bass player Dave was standing in the middle of them all in a superman costume. But having the cookie monster on stage as well as Brian in long wavy blond hair and a dress, were also quite fun. The drummer was an Ogre, but took of the mask once he stepped on the stage. Stephanie Vernacchio (the only girl in the band) decided to dress up as Brian Christinzio the way he is pictured on the cover of the latest album “Blink of a Nihilist”, released on One Little Indian, UK.
The band had not played in this lineup ever before at least not for a life concert, that did not show at all. During the first song people were still not approaching the stage that much, but by the time “Hide, Run Away” started there seemed to be a rush to have a better view of the band. Their music is fun a bit crazy and having them on stage in the most random costumes fit them perfectly well, they should consider always dressing up, haha. But it would be a good idea. BC Camplight is definitely a band worth checking out.

Review by Solveig Werner