Editor's Note: We at buffaBLOG invite artists to use the blog as a medium for their writing. Michael "Yes YES" Ersing, a Buffalo born freak folk musician, and his fiancé Janie Roberts submitted this to us after an inspiring Future Islands show.
Saturday November 9th, I (Janie) had the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands to see live on this entire planet. I first experienced Sam, William, and Gerrit performing together in Art Lord & The Self Portraits back around 2003 in the Carolinas while I was in high school. What I remember is costumed ridiculousness, dancing, and particularly one weirdo belting fancifully with eyeliner running down his sweating face. Everyone was sweating--that would remain a given with these guys.
Future Islands popped into my sphere again and again, from creepy house shows in Charleston, SC to festivals in their hometown of Baltimore, Denver on a round-robin tour with Dan Deacon, to playing alongside them when my Fem-punk band decided to throw a reunion--probably more motivated by the opportunity to play with them than by any other sort of nostalgia.
Their show in Buffalo proved that their far-out synth-pop heart-gravity not only still induces altered states of elation, but that Future Islands is evolving into new realities of composition. Weaving heavier sound, even deeper lyrically complex wisdom spouting from Sam's ever chimerical persona, and adding an organic Earthling drummer to top it all off contributed to their participatory journeying and it's transformative effect. The whole crowd begins accepting the inevitable. You will dance and you will enjoy it. The classics such as "Balance" and "Tin Man" got everyone in the mood, and by in the mood I mean pumped on life and inspired to believe in oneself in the most positive sense. The newer songs crept up and out into the soul with William's baselines pumping, Gerrit's synth probing seemingly darker realms and Sam posing new questions for the listener to contemplate. Writing a song for someone you have never met--Romantic? Psychic? Revelatory? All of that and more.
As I make the move across the globe to Korea, I can't think of a better show to send me off. My next thought--these guys have to play in Seoul because I am totally positive I don't want to wait a year to see them again, and I'm also pretty sure it's high time for Future Islands to tour Asia.
A few words between Mike & Sam
Post show: Sam Herring talks like he's being burst out of a circus canon with 1,000 lbs. of confetti. He moves. He focuses in on you. He smiles with a warmth that is intense, not to mention a relief.
(M) How does it feel for you raising heartconsciousness up through your stomach like a fountain out of your mouth & third eye?
(S) Wait! What? It's just about being yourself, and true to whatever you believe that That is. Really! It's about letting yourself feel beautiful. It's a dance, Not so much the third eye, but yea, yea The Heart. I've never heard that word before, Heartconsciousness. I like it. People used to think, maybe, that we were being ironic? I think? I believe that more people now see us for what we are. That we are Genuine, with ourselves, with our audience.
(M) How have you disassembled the fear construct?
(S) (laughs) (begins to shout) You just Do! You have to! It's like I said You just believe in yourself, and Yes this takes courage But it's worth it! Not everybody will get it right away! As long as you are honest with yourself about who you are what you want, treat yourself well, you'll be ok.
(M) Thank you. That's an important thought I think. (Sam interjects, the two exchange ideas. At this time the tape recorder stops working) Let me switch to vid real quick:
Before we say goodnight, can you say something about love?
(S) Ah man, that's hard. That's Hard! There's love of family, friends, affection, lust, love of lust, romance, truth, of beings walking down the street, recognition of the humanness in one by another... I have love for my band mates... And for the Audiences at these shows! And the Travelling! These are all stories, as a musician, they are stories.
(M) Quote the English Romantics?
(S) The cut plow forgives the worm (both laugh)
(S) The cut plow forgives the worm (both laugh)
(M) You took something backwards & made it MORE, for HEALTH!
(S) I knew you would like that!
Sam Herring is singer for the Baltimore based project Future Islands.
Mike Ersing has been called Too Brilliant by those unable to breath in his presence.
Janie Roberts is, and always has been, the brains, and the heart behind team Yes Yes.
That night Sam dedicated "Balance" to Janie & Mike, because they were the best dancers.
That night Sam dedicated "Balance" to Janie & Mike, because they were the best dancers.
~ Post by Michael Ersing and Janie Roberts
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