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Review Fri Jul 31 2015
Review: The War on Drugs @ Metro, 7/30
Midway through Thursday night's War on Drugs show, singer and songwriter Adam Granduciel dropped a simple "Thanks for coming to see us" as if everyone at a jam-packed Metro just happened to be walking along Clark and thinking, "I feel like hearing some live music tonight. I wonder who's playing nearby."
If that actually was the case for anyone, like any of the numerous people "looking for 1" outside, they lucked into quite a show. It's not like the War on Drugs popped out of nowhere, but the year and a half since the release of their fawned over Lost in the Dream album has elevated them to the type of band who sells out Metro in minutes.
Their anthemic rock'n'roll songs with a heavy dollop of noise were alive on Thursday. Granduciel owned center stage, accompanied by a full band and a pedalboard larger than my kitchen table. But it all fit together perfectly as they ran through songs from throughout the band's decade-long history. By the time they reached "An Ocean in Between Waves", it was guitar solo city with no filler. Songs went long. Arrangements varied. Quality never dipped. Why end when everyone's having a good time? Why not keep pummeling ears with a barrage of guitar riffs and licks? It's not like what anyone's hearing on the album and it's not being duplicated tomorrow night. Roll with it. And that they did.
Around the 100-minute mark, the band wrapped things up to conclude a night with earworming melodies, blistering guitar solos and some of the best "woo!"s you've heard in years. And because of how good they sounded, you walk out thinking, "That's the smallest place I'll ever see them again." If that's the case, it'll be well deserved.