When I attend concerts, I don’t usually expect to see a spectacle. But, that’s exactly what MarchFourth Marching Band – and it’s a spectacle I won’t be guilty of ever missing again. And neither should you.

During their third appearance at Salt Lake City’s State Room, the Portland, Ore.,-based band overfilled the dance floor from virtually the opening note and never relinquished their hold on a festive, jubilant crowd that felt like a swirl of New Year’s Eve, a Saturday night and a hometown Mardi Gras party. About one-third or more of the audience was wearing costumes – just like the band – and many seemed to be deliriously happy.

For their part – all 20 of them- MarchFourth feverishly plays, dances and occasionally sings to maintain the well-deserved attention. They don’t play anything resembling a slow song and nothing remotely non-funky. What’s cool is that with their multiple drummers and multiple horn players, they incorporate various styles including old-school big band sounding jazz, Latino-bassed rhythms and ’70s-flavored funk into their own familiar groove. In the middle – and wearing an appropriate sheriff’s star on his vest – was one mean bass player, the band’s leader John Averill. This guy should get a lot more attention than he does as a musician. His deft, understated parts anchor the entire musical circus that happens above, in front, below and behind him.

Meanwhile, the crowd’s continuously captivated by the onstage dancing of up to three people on stilts – oh, did I not mention they have stilts?

Yes dear reader, sometimes the band’s stilt-wearing members are onstage dancing together, sometimes they flank either side of the musicians while dancing and clapping and sometimes they crowd surf – but the stilted performers are ever present. They’re so compelling that sometimes you realize you’re not focused at all on the music. Again, this felt less like a concert and more like a freaky sideshow – but in a good way.

Based on the overwhelming crowd response – the sell-out crowd hooted loudly after every single song – MarchFourth seems to be in the ascendancy. And with their latest album available next week, “Magnificent Beast,” and with Thursday’s concert marking the start of a 25-date tour, you can’t help but think they’re going to continue to grow their audience. Going forward, I want to explore the band’s recorded music and see if it’s as fun and catchy as I think it is – I suspect it’ll be easier to focus without anyone on stilts cavorting in front of me.

If you missed Thursday’s free-for-all, check out this video from the 2009 “Burning Man Festival.”

Posted: Friday, October 21st, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Categories: SL Scene.
Tags: Salt Lake City, The State Room.