I’ve never done ecstasy, but based on the Urban Dictionary definition which states it produces “strong feelings of positivity, empathy and connection to others” I can only assume it’s similar to the Two Door Cinema Club show at the State Theatre Thursday night. There probably wasn’t any surprise molly in my system, but nevertheless I found myself dripping with sweat screaming for more when the band “left” before playing everyone’s favorite song.
Admittedly, I went to this concert because tickets were 40 bucks and it was ten minutes from my house. I had heard “What You Know,” a song from seven years ago, but that’s about it. I didn’t bother brushing up on their music before the concert, but that didn’t matter. At some point it all sounded the same, but it was still freaking awesome.
To be totally honest, I can’t even really give you a set list because I couldn’t really tell when they switched songs. I let out a “woo” when I heard the words “what you know” but even then couldn’t tell you when the song began or ended. My more musically knowledgeable friend informed me that they played “Something Good Can Happen,” “Gameshow” and “Are We Ready? (Wreck),” and that all three of those songs were good. For me, this concert was less about appreciating for any given song and more about riding the audience’s chaotic hivemind like an electronic tsunami.
If you haven’t heard of Two Door Cinema Club, it’s an indie rock from Northern Ireland. Formed in 2007, the band is currently on its third release, Gameshow, from which a lot of this concert’s material was pulled. The newer 2016 album followed the band’s first two offerings: Beacon (2012) and Tourist History (2010). All three have garnered praise across the United Kingdom and beyond, and the band seems to have what it takes to keep landing the charts. They’ve got an almost gravitational stage presence, with hypnotic sound to match.
Opening for the North Irish group was another United Kingdom based indie rock band, Circa Waves. The two bands paired quite well, as they both similar indie rock-styled vibes. However, while Two Door Cinema Club ventures into the realm of light electronic music with use of synths, Circa Waves stayed more in the vein of traditional rock, relying more on drums for their beats, almost as if they were preparing us for the more musically adventurous ride to come.
Circa Waves played for about half an hour, and were surprisingly good! Unlike some openers I’ve slogged through in the past, they didn’t overstay their welcome. Highlights from their act included “Fossils,” “Stuck” and “T-Shirt Weather.”
There was a little bit of a lull between Circa Waves’ departure and Two Door Cinema Club’s arrival, during which my more musically knowledgeable friend and I got to watch everyone who pre-gamed the concert come crashing back down to Earth. Two Door Cinema Club was on within a half hour and once they started playing, the concert just kept getting better and better.
My only regret is that I hadn’t taken the time to get into their discography before the concert. I’ve had them in my ear ever since we left the Theatre. In all likelihood, I’ll be around campus mumbling along to songs I still don’t know the words to for the next couple weeks.
A final note (just because I was curious): the “Two Door Cinema Club” name apparently comes from one band member’s mispronunciation of Tudor Cinema, a movie theater near the band members’ high school.
I’m just glad the State Theatre had more than two doors because with the tumultuous atmosphere in there last night, that definitely would’ve been a fire hazard.
Nick Smith is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at [email protected].