Angry Citizen: Danielson Familie @ Hammerstein Ballroom 9/25/06

September 27, 2006

Danielson Familie @ Hammerstein Ballroom 9/25/06

Tuesday, I walked through the front doors of the Hammerstein Ballroom clueless as to the opening band. I was greeted with indifferent shrugs of the shoulder and the ever helpful "who cares" when I asked who was opening. When I questioned a security guard I was told that Deer Hunter would be opening. Maybe he had De Niro on his mind. Maybe not. Regardless, I was pretty sure he was referring to Sunday's opener, Deerhoof. I was fully prepared to see Deerhoof, and why not, they’re a great band. I realized rather quickly as the opening band walked across the stage that Deerhoof would not be playing. To my surprise, it was Danielson, and he was trailed by the entire Danielson Familie. To go from not knowing the opener, to expecting Deerhoof, to getting the Danielson Familie is pretty damn exciting in my book. At first I was worried that Danielson’s sound would be too nuanced for the large Hammerstein Ballroom. Granted, some of the more nuanced sounds on Ships did not make its way through the speakers. From my vantage point there was not a Glockenspiel or Xylophone to be heard. It didn't matter. The Danielson Familie had no trouble filling the large venue with their edgier, rocking sound. As a matter of fact, they made you believe they belonged in a venue that size. By the end of the set the Danielson Familie had won over some new fans and pleased long time fan Wayne Coyne, who was enjoying the show from the side with drummer Kliph Scurlock. Off the top of my head the Danielson Familie played, Did I Step On Your Trumpet, Ship The Majestic Suffix, Bloodbook On The Half Shell, Two Sitting Ducks and Kids Pushing Kids along with four or five more songs. Did I Step On Your Trumpet and Ship The Majestic Suffix not only received the best crowd reaction, they sounded so good it was frightening.