Show review: Netherfriends at the Whistler, 1/4

Posted by Bobby

Shawn Rosenblatt of Netherfriends

I had been peripherally exposed to Netherfriends through others’ enthusiasm, including within the digital halls of our make believe WCR office because fellow staffer Andrew is a big fan (check out his artist spotlight/interview here). So after settling in to the ol’ apartment Tuesday night and escaping the balls cold outside, I decided, “nope, not staying in,” and called a cab to take me to the Whistler so I could check out Netherfriends myself.

I am glad I did that. Shawn Rosenblatt, the man behind the curtain, performed a solo set but it sounded like the Beach Boys had just returned from some sort of Flight of the Navigator type journey through spacetime and had come back as haunted versions of their younger, eager selves, and with better technology (whew). I have seen a lot of work with loop pedals and self-harmony, but Netherfriends’ melodies were what made the technicality so fun to listen to. While that type of song rendering can often only build to a final cacophony with little in the way of dynamic shift, Shawn's songs moved up, down and all over the damn room like it was its own tiny little universe. Throwing lyrics from late ‘80s/early ’90s popular rap songs in there didn't hurt either.

I bought the record, I'll be at SubT when they play as a full band tonight, and Andrew: good call.

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Check out more show reviews:
Cursive at Subterranean
James Chance at Beauty Bar
Peaches Christ Superstar at the Portage Theater
The 1900s at Empty Bottle
Archie Powell & the Exports at Darkroom
November show recap: Molehill, Magic Kids, White Mystery