Concert Review: OK Go and Office

Stepping out onto the gym floor, I quickly spotted someone that looked familiar in the sound booth. His funky glasses, chauffeur's cap, and sideburns marked him as one of the members of OK Go. Approaching the sound booth, I had to do a double take to make sure he was really the bespectacled member of OK Go, Tim Nordwind. He looked different in person; thinner and less jovial. I asked him if I could interview him for our blog, Moustache Salad. He said yes, but told us we'd have to wait until he got done mixing the sound. The interview was set to take place when the opening band took the stage.

Excited about the ensuing interview, a first for Moustache Salad, I returned back to the floor to formulate questions. The lights dimmed as the opening act, Office, started playing. Glancing back at the sound booth, I saw a fleeing Tim escape into the refuge of backstage to avoid our most intrusive questions, such as "How do you feel about playing to a college audience?" Angry and disappointed, I turned my attention back to the stage. Moustache Salad's first concert review was off to an excellent start.

For those of you who don't attend Truman State University, OK Go headlined the Student Activities Board Fall Concert this past Friday. The concert was held in the Pershing Arena, Truman's basketball gymnasium. Despite the seemingly poor venue, the concert was fun to watch, and most importantly, the sound quality was good.

I wasn't very familiar with Office, the opening band. This lack of familiarity didn't prevent me from enjoying their solid set. Office played an energetic show, bringing their pop-rock style to new ears. Their guitar sound reminded me of Weezer somewhat, with an interesting synth thrown in on some songs. Office featured two lead vocalists, both with strong voices that complimented their music well. I caught myself singing along with some of the songs, even though I had never heard them before. Office maintained a high level of energy throughout their set and received a very favorable crowd reaction when they ended.

Due to the prior events of the night, I had an unfavorable bias towards OK Go. Commanding our attention with their impressive stage presence, OK Go rocked their way back into my good favor. Front-man Damian Kulash's witty banter between songs provided a nice contrast between the distortion rich melodies of OK Go songs. Although OK Go may not be the most innovative or awe-inspiring band, their songs were enjoyable live. Highlights of the concert included OK Go's cover of Violent Femme's "Prove My Love", their hit "Here it Goes Again", and a cover of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down". OK Go also performed a two-song acoustic set out in the crowd during the middle of their set. This acoustic guitar and glockenspiel performance went off well despite some mic problems. OK Go also had an interesting video backdrop that alternated between stock video and concert footage. OK Go was better than I expected them to be, Office was an intriguing discovery, and both provided a pleasurable concert.

Moustache Salad gives this concert a Pornstar moustache (3 out of 5).

Also, be on the lookout for a new post tomorrow in which Moustache Salad interviews Office front-man, Scott Masson.

Get Over It- OK Go