The struggle began the moment Adam Granduciel and his psych-rock group The War on Drugs attempted their sound check at the Horseshoe Tavern. With its low ceilings and cramped stage, the band spent what felt like the better part of half an hour just trying to get levels right. The frustration felt on stage was evident as complaints rang microphones. The feeling was mutual as the sold out crowd stood cramped, rubbing elbows with friends and strangers alike.
When The War on Drugs finally conceded, they opted to play with everything turned way up (mics, instruments, amps), and ran through a string of songs so loud and poorly mixed it was difficult to discern Granduciel’s lead guitar lines from waves of keyboard. A local alto-saxophone player was all but lost in the mix, though he did appear to be having a great time on stage. Funny enough, despite the early sound problems, fans nodded their heads in continuous approval and the band actually seemed to be in good spirits.
By the time The War on Drugs eased into “Brothers” off their critically acclaimed Slave Ambient, things were beginning to sound better. Granduciel’s Dylan-like lyrical phrasings were coming through clearly, but the subtle nuances that The War On Drugs work so hard to achieve were still all but lost in the wash of sounds. An expectedly psychedelic cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Touch Of Grey” was jammed out nicely. Jerry himself would have approved.
When the band reached back to its first release, Wagonwheel Blues, to play “Buenos Aires Beach” — a song with simple guitar strumming and subtle keyboard flourishes — every lyric and note came through crystal clear, but the tune wasn’t nearly as well-received as the Slave Ambient standout “Baby Missiles.” Granduciel’s love for Dylan and Petty was most evident on this rollicking tune, and the crowd took to it with quick head-bobbing appreciation.
The War on Drugs clearly know how to put on a solid and dynamic show, but that can be a battle. Sometimes all you can do is get on stage and throw your entire arsenal of sounds and songs at a venue, hoping whoever is running the mix can adapt to your music. The Horseshoe Tavern’s sound issues may have put up a fight, but Granduciel and his band won the war.
