By Sean Olson
Argonaut Staff
Photo / Theresa Palmgren / Argonaut / James Mercer, singer and guitarist of the Shins, sings during their concert Sunday in the Key Arena. The Shins were one of more than 2,500 artists who performed at Bumbershoot in Seattle.
Thousands of screaming fans gathered in front of the stage in Key Arena Sunday, Sept. 1. The arena was closed off to newcomers; it had been filled already. The show was one of many performed during the Bumbershoot festival in the Seattle City Center. The fans weren’t there to see a headliner like Jewel or Everclear. They weren’t there to see an accomplished indie band like Modest Mouse (who had played earlier that day). No, they were there to cheer on a little known indie band called The Shins.
Many could call The Shins newcomers to the indie scene. After all, not many people had heard of them until lately. This would not, however, be accurate.
The Shins were founded in 1997 from the remnants of Flake Music out of Albuquerque, N.M. Before that, the band used the name Flake. Although band names were changed as well as instruments, the four members have always remained.
The Shins’ approach to music follows a similar line to The Beatles, with modern influence. Guitars mixed with synthesized keyboards by Marty Crandall grafted well with lead singer and guitarist James Mercer’s poppy high-scaled vocals. The sound is completed by Neal Langford on bass and Jessie Sandoval on drums. The result is an indie-pop sound blending Elliot Smith-like melody with an edgier guitar influence. The Shins could’ve gotten away with their sound during any pop driven decade in music history.
Sub Pop records, whose label has artists like MudHoney and Nebula, signed the Shins in 2001 and released their first LP, “Oh, Inverted World.” Before Sub Pop the band had been on the Omnibus label. Their first album single was released shortly after “Know Your Onion.” The band then toured with Modest Mouse all over the country. With the help of tours, music festivals and a few songs used on skate and surf videos, the word is getting out about The Shins.
Mercer has been involved with other enterprises as well. He penned and performed a song for a Gap khakis commercial featuring Ashton Kutcher (That 70s Show) and Scarlett Johannsen (Ghost World). Mercer has moved from his home town of Albuquerque (and the rest of the band) to Portland, Ore. He is playing a few dates with Built to Spill’s Doug Marsh in the Pacific Northwest in coming weeks.
The thousands of fans at Bumbershoot did not seem disappointed. Playing crowd favorites like “New Slang” and “Know Your Onion,” the fans cheered, swayed and stayed put for the entirety of the show. Other than his vocals, Mercer was silent during the show. Rather, keyboardist Crandall joked with the crowd and introduced the songs. The stage setup was simple, Mercer and Crandall stood in front with Sandoval and Langford in the background.
The Shins didn’t smash equipment, run frantically all over the stage or stage dramatic lightshows or explosions. They instead seemed very into their music, moving with the beats and smiling on stage. They played their songs and were more intimate with the crowd than many other performers. The show ended with a crowd-encouraged encore of three more songs.
The Shins have not announced any release dates for another album; they will continue to tour and promote “Oh, Inverted World” at the present.
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The University of Idaho Prichard Art Gallery is hosting “Quaint, Quixotic, and Kitsch: An Exhibition of Art and Apparel,” as well as selections for the University of Idaho Leila Old Historic Costume Collection, until Sept. 25, 2002.
Gallery hours are Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, or to arrange a group tour, please call the gallery at (208) 885-3586. The gallery is located at 414/416 South Main St. in downtown Moscow. Admission is free and open to the public.
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