On April 25th, Orlando got a much-welcome dose of ambient/post-rock fusion (a very underrepresented genre) when Tycho came to town. Originally only synonymous with producer and graphic designer Scott Hansen, Tycho now refers to a larger outfit comprised of Hansen, Zac Brown (no relation to the alt-country Zac Brown Band), Rory O’ Connor, and Joe Davancens. The band brought their various instruments and simple yet concise production rig (in the form of a giant projector screen) and beautifully interpreted their songs for a live format.
Openers Gardens & Villa catapulted their status from obscure band to formidable artists within their fifty minute set. Their music, reliant upon cheery synths, delicate flute playing, and energetic singing from vocalist Chris Lynch, dazzled the crowd. Comprised of five members, Gardens & Villa sauntered through their summery catalog with adept stage presence. By the time the band played the final notes of their set, the audience forgot they were watching an opening band and craved for more.
Tycho, gracing the stage after flourishing some hype-building white noise, elevated their songs from bedroom mood-setters to rockin’ anthems. The use of live guitars and drums properly delivered the nuances heard in their recent Alive album. The instruments also gave new character to tracks from Tycho’s older albums Dive and Past Is Prologue. The crowd could not help but sway and bounce their feet to the bopping rhythms induced by the the band’s warm music. Attendees gasped in anticipation as the opening notes of favorites like “A Walk” and “Montana” emitted from the finely-tuned speakers.
An integral piece of the set was the large projector screen situated behind the performers. The screen aptly set the mood during the performances, notably showing surfers and a picturesque beach during “Dye” and evocative, cult and religious-like imagery during “Spectre.” Given Hansen’s background as graphic designer IOS50, the inclusion of an artistic screen projector fit the Tycho theming well. The Beacham ‘s concert hall set-up provided the perfect mix of pulsating bass and pitch-perfect acoustics.
Despite some slight technical problems (which the band handled promptly and professionally), this “Awake” tour evolved Tycho from bedroom producer to full-fledged band. Hopefully Orlando once again falls on the radar for the next tour.
Photo Credit: Zach Gruse, James Noir, and Josh Lujan from Crowdalbum.com
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