By Sadie Tresnit

All around me, people jumped up and down without stopping. A sea of Doc Martens surrounded me on all fronts. The bass thundered up through my feet, rattling my spine. Through it all, I was having the best time of my life. On Wednesday the 8th, Built to Spill played at WOW Hall and rocked my world.

I saw Built to Spill at the same venue last November — back when I didn’t know anything about them. The concert came up in one of my many music conversations with my dad and he convinced me that I should go. I walked in with no expectations and came away with my mind blown. Somehow, I made my way up to the second row where I could see everything the band was doing up close and I walked away obsessed with their bass player, Melanie Radford. I was new to playing bass at the time and she was a major inspiration for me.

Naturally, I was beyond excited to get there this year. Like I do for any major life event, I got there way too early. The doors opened at 7 and I was there, lined up and ready to go, at 6:45, while the band didn’t start playing until 10. Luckily, the openers, Itchy Kitty and Prism Bitch, started at 8 and 9 respectively. I had seen Prism Bitch before when they opened for the band last year, but Itchy Kitty was brand new to me. They didn’t disappoint.

Hailing from Spokane, Itchy Kitty describes their sound as “a hyperkinetic blend of punk traditionalism and a sort of mangled glam rock pageantry” careening from “whiplash-inducing riffage to flash delirium freak outs.” After seeing them, I couldn’t agree more. The two singers (one on bass, the other on guitar) thrashed around like they were possessed. Sometimes I get a bit self-conscious about dancing in public, but I was standing by a guy who looked a little like Stephen Malkmus from the side when I squinted and he had some serious moves, so I went ahead with it. 

Aside from their powerful wall of sound, a few things stood out about the band. For one, they have that Cheap Trick style of looking like they might have come from different bands. I like groups that don’t completely match up visually and Itchy Kitty fits the bill. Bassist Naomi Eisenbrey and guitarist Ami Elston fit the modern punk image with bleached hair, tattoos, eyeliner, and black clothes, singing loudly and writhing around the stage. The other guitarist, apparently known only as Catman, didn’t say a word (at least not that I heard) all night. Drummer Mike Tschirg appeared a bit older than the rest of the band but had a solid punk presence. I also really enjoyed that they broke the “quiet moody bass player” stereotype that you see in so many other bands.

Next, Prism Bitch took the stage. They opened for Built to Spill when I saw them last year, so I had some idea of what to expect. Their iconic multicolored tracksuits made a repeat appearance, along with their lively sound. The first time I saw them, they reminded me a bit of Sparks: a variety of different sounds (all of which they played well) with constant energy. Teresa Esguerra, Built to Spill’s drummer, also drums for this band, making their performance a nice taste of things to come. The other members of the band are Lauren Poole on bass/vocals, Lilah Rose on keyboard/guitar/vocals, and Chris Walsh on guitar. Altogether, the band has a really solid, cohesive sound and effectively turned WOW Hall into a giant dance party. I was having the time of my life.

When Built to Spill finally started playing at 10, I found myself far in the back of the room. I have no idea how I was able to get so close to the stage last year without being squished or breaking a bone, but it was a different experience when I could see well. Regardless, they ruled. As a relatively short woman, I’ve had to revise my concert philosophy from “I want to see everything up close” to “Wow, I’m so lucky I get to be here to listen to all of this.” With that in mind, I still had a fantastic time and danced the night away.

Seriously, I don’t think I stood still for a second of their 15-song set. One thing about Built to Spill (and probably all good trios) is that there’s no room for mediocrity. Every musician has to be at the top of their game, not only individually but also as they relate to each other. Luckily, they’re masters at this. Doug Martsch, the musician with the shortest Wikipedia page I’ve ever seen, is a quiet genius. Melanie Radford still knocked my socks off (she was also wearing a Last Splash shirt so now I’m even more obsessed). Teresa Esguerra is a drumming powerhouse. With those three together, I’m not sure the band could sound any way but amazing. 

While I love Built to Spill, I have to admit that I’m not great at remembering the titles of their songs. Luckily, websites like setlist.fm exist for fools like me. I remember really enjoying their live renditions of “Gonna Lose,” “Else,” and “Spiderweb” because I’m more familiar with those songs than some of the others they played. I love that their music is a little different every time but their overall sound is still instantly recognizable. “The Mountain,” a Heartless Bastards cover, was another standout of the night. I saw the Heartless Bastards this summer (another show I enjoyed) and Built to Spill maintained the heart of the song while making it their own.

At the end of the set, I can only conclude that the band was trying to make my heart explode. They played “I Would Hurt a Fly,” “Big Dipper,” and “Goin’ Against Your Mind” right in a row and my love for them skyrocketed. “Goin’ Against Your Mind” was part of their encore last year, and I distinctly remember realizing that I loved the band during the drawn-out bass solo. If you ever get the chance to hear that song live, take it. It’s almost like a magic spell— you can’t stop dancing the entire time they’re playing it. I don’t know about you, but I think an eight-minute workout is the perfect amount of time (as much as I wish the song could go on forever).

For the encore, they played “Broken Chairs,” a song I didn’t know very well but liked a lot. I was reluctant to leave at the end but definitely got my money’s worth. Built to Spill maintained their status both as one of my favorite bands and as excellent live performers.