Dead Paper Sparrows
After some technical difficulties, which is hard to overcome and made doubly hard by the fact that as a band, Dead Paper Sparrows had never ever struck a chord on stage, the band takes flight. Dressed in black and white with black handkerchiefs on their faces like giant beaks, the band began what was to be one of the best debut performances I have ever seen.
“Dead Paper Sparrows Will Fly”
Dead Paper Sparrows open with a Classical Gas inspired guitar and a two part harmony from David and Stephen that would resonate throughout the performance. Their opening song is far from what everyone expected to hear from this array of musicians, that is until the band kicks in behind them with booming bass tones and a percussion onslaught. David adds to the power of the change with a giant scream that wakes the crowd up and get’s everyone into the mood. Not even through one song, David and Stephen have proven that they are so much more than just a mash-up of Mass Undergoe and Bullets Over Beauty, their respective Bands. A mash-up I’m gonna call Mullets UnderBeau.
“No Love Lost Or Found”
For their second song David takes the reins and leads us down a journey into our own selves.
“I’ve been dreaming a lie.”
Beautiful imagery spatters itself against David’s lyrics as he sings angelically to the audience. There is so much emotion is shared by the entire room. While Stephen provides melodic harmonies over David’s screaming chorus the band comes crashing down.
“Dont you go looking for love, when there is none to be found,
all of our hearts are, broken, open.”
The songs dynamic time changes keep us listening ever so intently as guitar soars over powerful bass lines and punchy drums that blend together so seamlessly you would hardly expect these four to have only been playing together for a couple months. The song has traces of Matchbook Romances Voices, and a certain flair that only the talented David Isbister can bring to life. As the song comes to a close the band plays out notes in a 3/3 as David Lowly grows;
“Shame....On.....You.”
In between songs David uses a hand held tape recorder to speak to the crowd, the gimmick is great and even though it was hard to hear at times, added to the overall performance is a big way. The tape recorder informs us that the next song is a tribute and goes out to anyone in the crowd who loved the movie “Ghost”.
“Unchained Melody/Run Around Sue”
Again in a completely different opening fashion Dead Paper Sparrows breaks out into Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers. The whole room lights up with cheers as David sings over the ambiance, filled out with somber guitar tones and droning bass. Their throwback to Doowop goes over with extreme success as the band slowly gets louder and by the end are at full volume blasting forth a barrage of tones leaving the audience in awe. Modern day Punk Covers pale in comparison to the musical mastery these first timers display. Half time breaks with soaring guitars and powerful drums round out the end of the song leaving the crowd on its heels. They love it and are eager to see what else these craftsman have tucked under their wings…I mean sleeves.
“Wherever We End Up”
Again the band springs to life. The songs hits fast and everyone is instantly enthralled. The verse sets the tone for the song, and when the band picks up, with David singing beautiful choruses as if to everyone in the audience, we’re all right there in his words.
“When you are looking for me, I’ll be the chill in the breeze.
I’ll be the foam on the sea, I’ll be the love you need that follows you home
So you won’t be all alone, and force the emptiness inside you to fade away.”
Powerful lyrics rife with poetic imagery and feelings of hope guide the song to a finally that resonates with everyone.
We are thunder, we are rain.
The ground you are under, will live again.
We are thunder, we are rain.
“It Was Me, Or The Ring”
In all honesty I was so moved by “Wherever We End Up” I couldn’t put enough focus into reviewing “It Was Me Or The Ring”. I think at one point I was so blown away by Dead Paper Sparrows’ mastery and originality that I got all misty eyed like a boy who lost his blanket, or a little girl with a first crush. They had sold me before they had even finished their set.
After the song David once again Picked up the tape recorder and Dead Paper Sparrows thanked us for coming and big us farewell, but not before one last song to finish what was to be one of the best live performances I have ever seen.
“Gansta’s Paradise”
From the moment Stephen Played the first 4 bars on the guitar everyone knew what was about to happen. There, Live at The Bourbon, Dead Paper Sparrows covered Collio’s hip-hop classic Gangsta’s Paradise. I’ve never seen so many people lose their mind over a cover tune. Their varied musical range from Hard Hitting Rock to Doowop to Hip-Hop, left me wondering if there was any genre they couldn’t perform, DPS can do it all. David Doesn’t miss a word as Stephen shreds the Guitar, and Brian and Corey lay down the funkiest beet getting everyone in the whole bar dancing. It was truly a sight to be seen.
Dead Paper Sparrows will rise. Right to the top of the Vancouver Rock Scene, you heard it here first.
