Show review: Pinback at Lincoln Hall, 9/3/13

By Melissa Bordeau

Pinback’s show at Lincoln Hall on Tuesday was amazing, the venue packed with devoted fans. It appeared people weren’t there to mingle with their friends; in between songs, the venue was dead silent. People were there with their eyes peeled staring at the band's every move not wanting to miss a single second.

And who could blame them? Lead singer and guitarist Rob Crow is hilarious--such a character. He had hair just above his shoulders, which he clipped back with a hot pink hair clip, and he was sipping Jameson throughout the show. His mic stand had a cup holder attached to it for easy access. And there was a cooler stocked with the essentials, Jamo and Coconut water. Yes, he mixed the two. He said to the crowd, with his drink raised, that he recently lost about 20 pounds thanks to laying off the beer.

The other half of the duo--bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Armistead Burwell Smith IV--kicked off the show as the lead singer. I was so impressed with his voice. He was perfectly on pitch, and I was bummed that he didn’t lead sing more songs. But that is my only complaint.

Their song "Fortress" was on the popular tv series the OC, and was a huge hit during their show. "Good to Sea" is another one of Pinback's most popular songs. During this song, Rob ran all the way through the crowd with his mic still connected to the cord, into the next room- stood on the bar and sang to everyone who was in the bar.

What a show. Pinback showed their appreciation to their fans during their encore. They asked the crowd what songs they wanted to hear, and collectively made a list of three songs that everyone was begging for. Great show, amazing musicians, and such wonderful guys--if you have the chance to catch them on the road, I highly recommend it.