If you came to the Disappears show at The Bishop looking for a "normal" rock show with leather and falsetto or a solid set of songs precisely following modern song structure, you came to the wrong place.
Disappears, a Chicago-based rock band on the rise with a new noteworthy addition (drummer Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth), were what you'd expect from a band inspired by Youth that just added one of their members.
Though the band resembled Sonic Youth based on their intense, repetitive drum lines and eccentricities on guitar, they had a unique sound controlled mostly by lead singer Brian Case's echoed-out vocal stabs throughout each song.
While the show wouldn't appeal to a more mainstream college rock fan, Bonnaroo types would have loved the atmosphere of the show and the ever pounding echo of great bass lines - though somewhat repetitive - and original, "out there" vocals.
Unfortunately, their music may induce a headache at first listen. But take into account the passion and the fact that they have created a brand of music in their own style that follows no modern music criteria and has no boundaries.
Though Disappears' music was perhaps overly repetitive, it's hard to blame them. Disappears has nothing to prove to anyone. You can tell that they play music the way they want to and that they play for themselves, which should grant them massive amounts of admiration from fans all over.
Post and photography by Julian Eisner
