POST SOCIAL'S "MAJOR CONGRATS" RELEASE PARTY with ROZ and LIKE A MANATEE-LIVE AT COMMUNICATION JUNE 29, 2017

POST SOCIAL
"MAJOR CONGRATS" RELEASE PARTY
with
ROZ
LIKE A MANATEE
LIVE AT COMMUNICATION
MADISON, WI
JUNE 29, 2018

The night was sweltering and not solely due to the weather!

The evening of Friday, June 29th already suggested the long, hot summer we would ultimately have in Madison, WI as the temperatures were already exceedingly high and the humidity was what the local meteorologists would describe as "oppressive." Even so, nothing was going to keep me away from joining in the celebration of this night's full release of "Major Congrats," the 4th album from Madison, WI's independent band Post Social, the collective made up of Shannon Connor, Mitch Deitz, Sam Galligan and Brendan Manley.

It had been the better part of two years since I had last seen the band perform and the release of "Major Congrats" also  marked their first album in a two year period, their longest stretch of time away, especially for a band that has routinely showcased their prolific nature. So, for me, seeing the band again was an imperative...oppressive weather or not.

This time, the location of the band's performance was at Communication, a new DIY venture, located upon Madison's east side in what appeared to be a reconfigured house space, now designed for local artists and musicians to display their work and artistry. And most notably, the venue is a sober space, a most welcome quality to the city in which alcohol is ever present.

 

Upon exiting my thankfully frigid car and entering into the sun drenched, soupy atmosphere of the outdoors, I found my way to Communion, easily and successfully located via the beautiful Andrei Tarkovsky quotation upon the window, and entered the blessedly air-conditioned space to immediately find Post Social bassist Sam Galligan, who was soon joined by Wilder Deitz, Mitch's brother as well as a seasoned local musician/composer/band leader in his own right of the Wilder Deitz Singers. It was a pleasure to have some moments to speak with Sam, as I had not even seen him in nearly two years. Still cutting an increasingly imposing and mysterious frame, he always surprises me with how conversational he actually is once we do get to talking. And to that end, it was also a pleasure to at last meet Wilder Deitz in person and engage in a conversation that I am already looking forward to continuing.

Soon thereafter, I was so pleased to see and greet Post Social's Shannon Connor, Dash Hounds' singer/songwriter/guitarist Alivia Kleinfeldt and of course, Post Social's drummer Brendan Manley's parents, Steve Manley, the owner/proprietor of Madison's B-Side Records and Anita Sattel, educator/artist and without question, one of the warmest, kindest people you wold ever be graced to meet and be befriended by.

It was during my conversation with Anita when the first of the night's two opening acts began to perform on the tiny stage set-up in the room adjacent to the area that housed all of the artwork. While we spoke through the very first song, we indeed entered the other room and within moments, I was more than thunderstruck.

ROZ
Rosalind Greiert: Vocals, Guitar
I can only imagine what it may feel to be the opening performer of a concert event, even for ones as smaller scaled as tonight's. People arrive with the anticipation of seeing the main act generally. So for the performers who are tasked with satisfying an audience that typically did not arrive to see them, I would imagine that obstacle must be daunting to say the least. In the case of the evening's first artist, a solo performer known only as ROZ on the bill, but is in actuality Rosalind Greiert of the Madison, WI based band Heavy Looks, took to the diminutive stage and armed with her guitar, her richly powerful voice and flowing raven hair, she unquestionably blew me away.

As I previously stated, I missed her first song but by moments into the second song, I was hooked completely. With her growling guitar work and her incredibly captivating voice, ROZ demanded the fullness of your attention and held it tightly with a superior ease and skill that simultaneously showcased her unquestionable gifts with melodies, gorgeous harmonics and some fierce rock and roll grit, which felt to suggest having some roots within the alternative music period of the 1990's .

In fact, I often found my mind drifting to images and songs of Liz Phair throughout her performance. This is not to suggest that her music necessarily sounded like Phair's--it doesn't. But there just felt to be a similar sense of unfiltered, unapologetic force to her seemingly confessional material, that at times punctured me emotionally with some choice lyrical lines or even with the grace of her vocal delivery.

 

Bathed in mood lighting which consisted of shades of purples and oranges to augment her songs, ROZ mesmerized me from beginning to nearly the end. where she presented a final selection that just about knocked me flat. She began by giving the audience a choice. Would we like to hear her perform a song by either The Cranberries or by...Liz Phair? (My musical feelings concerning the '90s and Phair were correct!) So, of course, I raised my hand for Liz Phair (with all due respect to The Cranberries). But, The Cranberries won the audience vote and ROZ proceeded to unleash a solo performance of The Cranberries' now iconic "Zombie" to stunning perfection, just nailing the equally iconic vocal stylings of the late Dolores O'Riordan! 

Once she concluded and thanked us for listening, I immediately approached the stage to shake her hand and ask her a most important question: "Please tell me that you have an album!"

Unfortunately, she did not as she had essentially forgotten to bring merchandise. But, she informed me, that she is hoping to begin recording a new solo album, one that would actually not just feature her and an electric guitar but one that was exceedingly more studio driven and lush in sound. The best of luck to her for her future endeavors but for mine, I need to immerse myself in her band Heavy Looks!

   

LIKE A MANATEE
Adam Flottmeyer: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Grace Olsen: Guitar, Vocals
Dallas Reilly: Bass Guitar
Josh Reindl: Drums
Shortly after ROZ's set, the members of the night's second act, Like A Manatee, entered the stage and began setting up. In what felt to be the last minute, regardless of whether it was or wasn't, Adam Flottmeyer, the chief singer/songwriter of Like A Manatee, entered the stage last and began arranging himself among the instruments, wires and microphones in a bit of nervous energy as his somewhat rumpled appearance and  hair gave off the impression that he had been ensconced in the throes of creation in the studio and suddenly remember that he had a gig to get himself to.

It was precisely that specific energy that fueled the band's songs as the music of Like A Manatee felt to explore permutations of relationships gone wrong and the emotional upheaval left in their wake. With full nerve endings exposed, making for a collection of funky, fragile confections on which Flottmeyer's voice and lyrics suggested a musical space somewhere between The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne's and a less unhinged Daniel Johnston, Like A Manatee created an infectiously  melodic and psychological amalgamation.

As each song was performed, I found myself envisioning  Flottmeyer madly piecing together songs all by himself in some sort of home studio configuration and his supportive bandmates fleshing the material out by providing solid harmonics and occasionally slinky rhythms to give the material even more movement, tender grace and sometimes, emotional torment.

Granted, at first, I think I was still caught in the ROZ afterglow, so these songs had a bit to punch through to really grab my full attention. But about mid-set, as the songs began to find a certain irresistible groove and flow, I was disarmed by a palpable innocence on display. An innocence that did not suggest any sense of naivete, so to speak. But one where the inner emotions and their presentation within these songs were not disguised by any sense of theatrics but delivered with an straight forward authenticity that was akin to something...rather, childlike, perhaps. Maybe that is not the correct word, on its nose.

When I say "childlike," what I mean is unfiltered. And it is that quality that inspires me to try and check out the band's recordings on a deeper level.

POST SOCIAL
Shannon Connor: Guitar, Vocals
Mitch Deitz: Guitar, Vocals
Sam Galligan: Bass Guitar
Brendan Manley: Drums
with 
Wilder Deitz: Keyboards, Percussion
And now, the main event. Something that I have been especially anxious to witness, not only because it had indeed been nearly two years since I had last seen Post Social perform, but also now because they were armed with their most aggressive, forceful album to date. It is music that is begging to be performed in a live setting. In fact, I even questioned if the smallness of the performance space would be enough to house the music the band created this time around.

This evening's performance would, of course, solely feature music from the band's "Major Congrats," which they did indeed play most of on this celebratory night...and I  have to say it, for as many times as I have seen the band perform, I can easily say this may have been the very best that I have ever seen them.

 

Much like the album itself, where Post Social have allowed themselves to keep growing, changing and evolving, as live performers, they have also followed suit. The already extraordinary guitar work between Mitch Deitz and Shannon Connor is even tighter as well as continuously impressive and imaginative. The rhythm section of Bassist Sam Galligan and Drummer Brendan Manley, already formidable, is becoming nearly untouchable. And what impressed me most on this night was to hear how their live singing performances have elevated as well, with adherence to the tighter vocal harmonies as heard upon the album.

What I loved the most, and as always regarding this band, has been their strict attention to the needs of the songs themselves, leaving ego and attitude completely out of the way. I really appreciated how Mitch Deitz, adjusted his singing style in real time on the song "Sand Wand," for instance. To sing within a studio setting as opposed to a live performance, I would assume, would and sometimes should contain different approaches as the song may require different needs in either setting. It was as if Deitz was seeking and searching, still figuring out what works best for the song regarding if he should sing in either higher or lower registers. It was fascinating to me to watch and made me so appreciative of how serious these young men are with their craft as these songs translated heroically from studio to live settings.

And yet, Post Social is not all about self-important darkness and seriousness as their friendship is easily apparent as well as the clear enjoyment they receive from performing. Yes, by the set's conclusion, they were drenched in well earned sweat but they had a blast delivering their music so enthusiastically. Easy smiles were witnessed and to that end, Wilder Deitz looked to be having the most fun, just basking in the sheer enjoyment of being able to play with his brother and his friends

  

In regards to the venue itself, it should be noted that while Post Social's set was easily the loudest of the three acts of this evening's event, I was amazed at the sound quality within Communication as nothing ever felt to be lost inside some distortion or sonic wash. There was space and clarity even during selections where the band propelled a veritable (and aforementioned) sweat soaked fury, yet another reason I am very anxious to return to this space and support not only the local artists and musicians, but a local business that works in conjunction with said artists and musicians, especially as larger and more corporate entities are making their way into Madison with a lack of regard for the community that already exists.

Again, that is precisely what made this evening the warmest for me, and it is the same thing that I have always been impressed to regard and I have since found that what I have seen has proven to be more than sustaining and even inspiring. It is indeed that sense of community that warmed me.

To again see how these musicians are not in competition with each other but fully support each other. How intently they watch each others' performances and cheer them onwards after every set. To witness how these artists are seriously committed to performing in local spaces, knowing how businesses and artists can support each other. And to just see families and friends venturing outwards to see musicians at work and play. There is simply not one moment that felt to be distant or impersonal, jaded or disregarded.

For me, this is what is making the Madison community in regards to the arts and music so unique, and I do realize that I still have only seen a small piece of it. But even so, something extremely special is happening right here in this city that so many are just fully unaware. Yet, do allow me to express to you that glistening lights are definitely being shown and I wish to keep being able to witness them and bring reports back to all of you readers and listeners out there.

For these people deserve any and all attention that should flow in their directions.

all photos by Scott Collins