INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Snow Patrol, Hot Hot Heat
Friday, Aug. 3
It took them four years of near-constant touring and two hit albums, but Snow Patrol finally got here. They didn’t disappoint either.
Backed by a simple construct of strobe lights and fog, the Irish quartet ripped through a fierce set of their coruscating power pop. Songs with the hummable heft of “Spitting Games” trended nicely with dew-eyed enchantments like “Chasing Cars” and “Run.” Blending these two veins in majestic crescendos like “Open Your Eyes” made for exhilarating rock ’n’ roll theater.
Songs that are mostly about heartbreak became uplifting sing-alongs for the packed house. Lead singer Gary Lightbody made sure of that by joking with the audience about American football and extreme heat. He also kept a toothsome grin plastered on his face all night.
It’s a sound and disposition that’s connecting with quite an audience. The makeup of the one that came to see Snow Patrol’s Indianapolis debut included older and younger, jocks and Midwestern glitterati, whole families and, of course, couples. Love is universal, and when it’s wrapped in a poignant package like this, it’s something special.
While Snow Patrol had emotion to go with its energy, openers Hot Hot Heat were more about the disco fever Lightbody alluded to at one point, encapsulated in angular post-punk with a reggae swing that was always propulsive.
“I feel like I’ve lost 20 pounds in the last half-hour,” said vocalist Steve Bays more than halfway through their 45-minute set. He had reason to, throwing his waifish frame around the stage and warming the crowd up right along with the band. Hot Hot Heat’s propensity for feel-good vibes with brains — and a refreshing lack of pretension to boot — jibed beautifully with the audience. They were one of the most successful opening acts that I’ve ever seen.