Normally, I’ll walk into a show and know one person there if I am lucky. Walking into the Orpheum, I was amazed to see groups of people I knew, he bulk of whom, like myself, had come to finally catch a glimpse of the Appalachian Apocalypse from New York that is O’death.

Over the past year I have read many an O’Death review raving about the ferocity of their live show. As result, I think I had romanticized the possibilities to the point where I was expecting sparks to shoot out of their asses and the devil to be playing fiddle. Neither case played out, instead the band opened up a little on the reserved side after a particularly miserable Miami crowd the night before. However, but by the end of their set shirts were missing and requests were being played. One thing is for sure, after seeing the passion these kids put into their music, any questions I had about the authenticity of a group of 20-something New Yorkers playing Appalachian folk songs were put to rest.

Drummer David Rogers-Berry lived up to his advance billing; screaming, howling, beating trash cans with chains, hyping the crowd, and just generally beating his floor toms so hard you could almost see them wince in agony. Adding to the drum-abusive energy was fiddle player Bob Pycior stomping and dancing about while trying his damndest to saw his instrument in half. Much like Berry, he plays with such an intensity that you get the impression he is punishing his instrument more than playing it. Balancing out these two was Gabe Darling’s banjo and ukulele and Greg Jamie’s guitar and sometimes woeful, always captivating vocals, which help give the band it’s dark sound. By the end of the show the band had loosened up and began interacting with the crowd, and by the end of their 30 minutes the crowd managed to goad them into playing one more song before packing up. I left as O’Death packed up figuring I had seen the best this particular night had to offer, and having finally caught the band live, I’ve come away knowing two things:

1. Believe the hype.
2. Thirty minutes just wasn’t enough time.

Come back to Florida, O’Death. Fuck Miami.

O’Death - Down to Rest
O’Death - Only Daughter
O’Death - Nathaniel

I managed to actually remember my camera and actually managed to get some pretty good pictures. You can see them here if you’re interested.

O’death’s Official Site, O’Death on Myspace, Buy Head Home

I don’t normally post these types of things but I am just way to excited not to. O’Death will be making it all the way down into Central Florida this April and playing Ybor City! I never thought they would make it this far down. Everyone says their shows are awesome. I can’t wait to see for myself.

O’Death / April 16 / Ybor City / The Orpheum
Also: Clutch / April 24 / State Theater / St. Petersburg

O’Death - O Lee O
O’Death - Adelita
O’Death - Only Daughter

O’death’s Official Site, O’Death on Myspace, Buy Head Home

Here is a video of O’Death performing “Nathaniel” in New York City:

I do not know what the term “freak folk” really means, but it should be defined in a way to include these boys from Brooklyn.

I am a huge fan of O’Death. I would have written about them a long time ago, but they were getting so much hype on bigger blogs that I just didn’t see the point. Then, a topic on a message board brought home the fact that just because someone reads ninebullets does not mean they also read the bigger blogs. They are right, and since their last effort “Head Home” recently got reissued via the Ernest Jenning Record Company, I figured this was as good a time as any.

Trying to describe O’Death’s music can be difficult. Imagine an Appalachian (GO MOUNTAINEERS!) country garage band deciding to do punk rock, but instead they are from New York. That is a pretty poor description, I know, but I feel it might get pretty close. Greg Jamie delivers these songs with the hellfire-n-brimstone passion of a Southern Baptist preacher man, and sometimes the tracks can swell to the excitement levels of an August tent revival. ‘From New York City’…that part seems to be a big hang up for some critics out there. Appalachian jug band folk music from a buncha kids in Brooklyn? SHENANIGANS! It must be contrived. I say, who gives a flying fuck? In the end, it’s about the music they’re making, and if it’s good, then who fucking cares what they are doing in their off time?

So, is it good? Yes. It’s fucking awesome. It’s “you gotta hear this now” good, which many a friend and their auto cd player can attest to. It’s also Essential Listening.

As good as their cd is, their live show is where it’s at. Now, living in Florida, I’ve never actually gotten to see O’Death live, but I have a friend in North Carolina who taped a show for me and mailed it my way. Lemme just say, next time these kids play Atlanta on a weekend, I’m making the 8 hour road trip. If you are lucky enough to live in these guys’ path, make your way out to see ‘em.

O’Death - O Lee O
O’Death - Adelita
O’Death - Only Daughter

O’death’s Official Site, O’Death on Myspace, Buy Head Home

Here is a video of O’Death performing “Nathaniel” in New York City!

Here is an video from SxSW: