Mirah & No Kids Concert (10.25.08)

My friends and I were bored Saturday night in Washington, DC and heard MIRAH was playing at the Black Cat. We knew some of her songs, so we decided to check it out.

The crowd was older then we were used to; there were mostly people in their late twenties to thirties. The overall feel was very mellow with people lounging on the couches in the back of the venue. Dancing was minimal, but everyone seemed almost entranced by the performances throughout the night. 

The bartender above was very annoyed at the fact that I was taking pictures of her, but not buying drinks. It's the basic rule of tips. She won't give me the time of day unless I pay her for it. This is her job, and she's ultimately there to make money. She'll only give people attention that are going to tip her well because helping an 18 year old who wants a free glass of water isn't worth her time. 

NO KIDS, a Canadian indie pop band based in Vancouver, open the show. They released their first album Come Into My House in 2008 and have spent the majority of the year touring North America. Their sound has some splashes of LADYHAWK, and a baseline similar to THE LITTLE ONES, but overall, they are a less mature and less unique version of OF MONTREAL. 

The American musician, based in Portland, Oregon, wowed the crowd in DC on Saturday night. The best part of the concert was Mirah's a capella song "The Garden". The whole crowd was incorporated as the audience kept the beat while she sang. 

Although it was released on her album Advisory Committee (2001), the song became nationally known in 2008 when it appeared on the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance". Mirah's sound is similar to that of IMOGEN HEAP, CHAIRLIFT, THE BLOW, and BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE. With her rock indie-pop sound, Mirah stands out as a unique voice in the rock world. It's no wonder that the crowd in DC seemed to be so devoted to her, as if they'd been listening to her albums for nine years, waiting for the chance to join her in her incredible music making. 

For more information on Mirah go to melophobe.com. And if you want to download Mirah's song "The Garden" right click on the link below. 

Download: "The Graden" - Mirah (mp3)