For the second year in a row, I'm Not A Pilot has won Best Rock Band in the Shepherd Express's "Best of Milwaukee 2011 Awards"! We really appreciate all of you that took time out of your day to vote for us. We'll try to re-pay you by keeping the rock alive!
Art and music both involve looking inwards and producing something to project outwards. The recent kickoff of the Hamilton Event Series on July 29th brought these two forms of creative expression together. The Hamilton is a recent addition to the Milwaukee bar scene, one that brings a touch of class to a market that dearly needs it. Just northeast of Trocadero on Hamilton Street, the space appears cozy, even small, at first glance. The front bar is fancy with heavy velvet drapes, dim lighting and comfortable couches to lounge on while you enjoy a cocktail. However, once you walk into the back area which made its public debut on Friday, you realize that the Hamilton has so much more to offer. With high warehouse ceilings and a humongous open space, the back room has a very industrial feel, perfect for a combination of live music and art exhibition. Milwaukee Odyssey, run by Christopher Roze, filled the sparse walls with a variety of artwork, including large paint-on-metal installations, kaleidoscopic paintings by the Couto brothers and much more by other local artists. The event itself was overseen by the owner of the Hamilton, Kimberly Floyd, local musician Peter Thomas and Milwaukee Odyssey. It was a well-rounded event with music, food, art and of course libations. A $5 cover bought you a ticket to the exhibits, performances by two local bands, light appetizers and a drink. The choices were beer, wine and a gin cocktail, made with Bittercube bitters (whose owners helped create & inspire the Hamilton’s outstanding specialty drink menu).
The music started at 9pm, featuring local alternative rock band, Ikarus Down. It was an upbeat show, mixing danceable grooves with a few slower jams. Ikarus Down released a self-titled EP last year and is currently working on a full length album. They’re led by Jonathan Ferrer on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, who switches back and forth from bouncing around stage with the energy of a child playing his first guitar to crooning softly into the mic with his eyes closed. Ferrer has a style all his own (both vocally and fashionwise) and the rare capability of playing the guitar well without taking away from his singing. Lead guitarist William Ryan Gardiner (who goes by Ryan) has that kind of skill that captivates your attention, with a tone reminiscent of 70s rock that made guitars cry & wail. Ryan rarely looks up from his guitar, so enmeshed with the instrument it’s as if he’s transfixed himself. Nick Brennemann provides the classical sounds of the piano, possessing an energy you rarely see a keyboardist exude, while still playing every note on cue. For Nick, this was an extra special concert, as it essentially served as his wedding reception. Nick and his bride Nanda married earlier Friday and she was in the front row, gazing adoringly at him the entire show. Love was in the air and Nick’s eyes when he played a short solo to his new wife during the show. Patrick Masimore and Daniel Langkammer (on bass and drums, respectively) round out the band, providing the beat s and keeping the band grounded. While they may be more subdued in their stage presence, they are integral to the sound. All in all, Ikarus Down puts on a great show and while they’re not the kind of musicians who banter back & forth on stage or crack jokes with each other, the friendship between them is obvious. Their sound may be easy to peg as alternative rock but they do it well with talent and a bit of soul.
The headliner of the night was I’m Not a Pilot, another Milwaukee band, who has garnered quite a large following. Part rock, part pop, part classical, I’m Not a Pilot has a unique sound that’s become wildly popular within Milwaukee’s local music scene. Winner of 88.9 Radio Milwaukee’s band of the year award, I’m Not a Pilot consists of lead singer & pianist Mark Glatzel, cellist Peter Thomas, bass player Adrian Esguerra and drummer Steven Vorass, Jr. Their eclectic and unparalleled brand of music creates something special during every show. Mark is the unassuming front man with an impressive vocal range and dramatic dexterity on the keyboard. He displays none of the “rock star” antics or ego that many musicians overuse, in fact, he seems almost surprised when everyone cheers at the end of a song. The lyrics to their original music are nearly all written by Glatzel alone and you can feel the emotions coming through his voice, drawing you in. And while you stand, caught up in the story Mark sings, you hear Peter’s electric cello come in. The instrument lends a haunting, almost gypsy-like quality to some songs and a heavy, orchestral sound to others. A classically trained cellist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Thomas fills the space that a guitar would normally occupy, alternating between fierce bow strokes and beautiful, symphonic melodies. The rarity of having a cellist in a rock band, let alone someone of Peter’s caliber, is unheard of. Mark and Peter play well off of each other and keep the audience transfixed. And making this group a true “band”, Adrian Esguerra maintains the rhythm on bass guitar and Steve Vorass keeps the beat going on drums. They may be in the background but they are an important part too and do their jobs with the utmost accuracy. Adrian and Steve provide the rock end of the spectrum while Peter and Mark are the classical twist that sets I’m Not a Pilot apart. Their blend of upbeat pop-rock and slower, heartfelt ballads provides a much needed breath of fresh air to Milwaukee’s live music circuit. Most of their songs are original but they do throw in a few covers here and there. When they do, I’m Not a Pilot reinvents the original song and puts their own stamp on it. A crowd favorite is “Where Is My Mind” by the Pixies, made famous when it was featured in “Fight Club”. However, the standout for me is their recent re-do of Arcade Fire’s “Tunnels (Neighborhood #1)”. I’m a big fan of Arcade Fire but I prefer I’m Not a Pilot’s version. I personally think Mark’s voice suits the soaring notes better and Peter’s cello provides a stronger backbone to the song. Singing the female part (and playing the tambourine) was Rae Cassidy, a local artist who is featured on I’m Not a Pilot’s full length album, “Need Money For Rocket Fuel”. A classic beauty with the voice of an angel (I’m not exaggerating), Rae has joined the band for their last few performances, including Summerfest and Bastille Days. She usually sings three songs, just enough to shake up the formula a bit, complimenting Mark’s voice without overpowering him. Rae also plays at VIA on Downer every other Monday with the Chris Hanson Band, a swing group that suits Rae’s jazzy style. Hopefully she’ll keep making appearances at I’m Not a Pilot’s busy upcoming calendar of events. Their next show is in Port Washington at Freeport Music Festival on Friday at 7:00pm. Check out imnotapilot.com for a complete listing of shows (or our gigs calendar), to listen to some of their music and much more!
I hope that you can make it out to see the next edition of the Hamilton Event Series, Saturday, September 10th at 8pm. I’m Not a Pilot will be performing again along with the Delta Routine and Wamsley, who will be releasing their new CD that night as well. It’s bound to be another great night of music, art and drinks!
There are many ideas in the music world that sound better on paper than in practice. It takes talented, flexible musicians with knowledge of a broad spectrum of genres to make these experiments work. The Milwaukee group I’m Not a Pilot’s sound is founded on a seemingly simple concept: a pop-rock quartet that replaces a guitar with a cello as the main treble instrument. The ubiquity of the guitar in rock, due mainly to fellow Wisconsinite Les Paul’s electric revolution, makes this a bold task indeed. Additionally, while such a group might sound great in the security of a studio, the rigors of live performance will truly test the mettle and musicality of all the members involved. I’m Not a Pilot’s first full-length album Need Money for Rocket Fuel (2010) was an admirable assemblage of songs, exhibiting finesse in both the pop and classical realms, but more importantly, an elegant fusion of the two. Their Summerfest show proved that this talent carries onto the stage.
I was made aware of the band through my weekly album review show on Youtube with co-host Eric, who had seen them live and enjoyed it very much. We kept in fairly close correspondence with the band, and agreed to review the new album shortly after it came out. We both liked it; I gave it a B+, Eric gave it an A-. Even after our show fell through the cellist Peter Thomas, also a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, kept me notified on concert dates. However, it wasn’t until I landed a job at Summerfest that I finally got to see the group live. I finished my shift just as they started, so I came to the stage a few tunes in. The event was at the Cascio Stage, one of the smallest of the main Summerfest venues, tucked in a dark corner next to Lake Michigan. All the bench seats were filled, and quite a few people were standing on the outskirts, around three or four hundred attendees in total.
The band itself is a quartet: drums, bass, keys and cello, with the keyboardist Mark Glatzel doubling on lead vocals. Peter’s cello was the stripped down, skeletal electric species becoming more common in modern chamber pop. The keyboardist and cellist were clearly the driving presences on stage, supplying the melodies and solos, but the rhythm section was no slouch either, providing hot beats and backing vocals. I was impressed by the band’s coordination and stage presence. They were clearly road veterans, and didn’t waste time in between songs with too much fine-tuning or inane conversations, even when introducing guest musicians. The sound was surprisingly crisp and clear for an outdoor party venue. I could understand every word sung sitting in the rear of the crowd, impressive and also important for their introspective lyrics.
The set was very well chosen, mostly from the new album, including two smoking covers of “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” by Arcade Fire and “Creep” by Radiohead. The latter was brilliantly coupled with Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, probably the most famous piece for the instrument, used in countless advertisements and recitals. Both tunes were enhanced by local guests, with Rae Cassidy taking the chorus of Arcade Fire and adding haunting background vocals on the band’s own material. For the final two tunes including “Creep”, an electric guitar was finally brought out, provided by Ikarus Down. While it added an extra layer of intensity which rounded out the set well, one could tell that the guitar was a useful addition, but not a necessary cornerstone. I was pleased that the closing song was my favorite off the album, “Operation,” which gradually expanded from a Romantic funereal sound to a driving climax, with lyrics comparing the risks of love to the classic organ-harvesting board game.
The only disappointment was the concert’s brevity, clocking in at only an hour. Looking back, though, I’m glad it was a show that left me wanting more. Immediately after the finale, as the roadies were packing away equipment, Peter sat on the lip of the stage, shaking hands with the crowd of fans. I was able to work my way to the front and talk for a few seconds. It was my first time meeting him in person, but he recognized me from the show and thanked me warmly for coming. It was heartening to see a group as talented as I’m Not a Pilot holding on to their local charm. If the band continues to put out good records and shows such as this, I’m not sure how long it will be possible to have such an intimate moment with them offstage.
This concert is a nice segue into a musical topic that has caught my attention lately. I’m Not a Pilot represents a growing trend in the alternative music scene: the large-scale return of the orchestra to the rock stage. The terms “baroque pop,” “chamber pop” and “symphonic rock” are nebulous phrases that have been yoked on many songs and artists for decades, but most would agree that they involve rock and pop artists using both orchestral instruments and/or classical nuances heavily in their music. With the wide varieties of each to choose from, it becomes easier to understand how many seemingly disparate songs can be grouped under this heading. The term originated in the sixties, when many groups borrowed string quartets, harpsichords, and choral harmonies to lend a timeless quality to their tunes. The Beatles (“Eleanor Rigby”, “All You Need is Love”), Beach Boys (“God Only Knows”), Rolling Stones (“Ruby Tuesday”, “Lady Jane”) Elton John (“Tiny Dancer”, “First Episode at Hienton”), Moody Blues (“Nights in White Satin”, “Tuesday Afternoon”), and The Association (“Cherish”, “Requiem for the Masses”) among others brought the style to the forefront of the pop charts. However, these groups did not set out to be purely baroque pop, instead going through phases of instrumentation. The few that did, notably The Left Banke (“Walk Away Renee”, “Pretty Ballerina”), were usually only one- or two-hit wonders.
The symphonic wave rode well through the seventies, at once being replaced and integrated into the emerging disco scene, but finally started to fade in the eighties and nineties, when punk and grunge rejected many traits of pop. I know this is painting musical history with a wide brushstroke, but simply listening to the charts of these respective decades show a shift away from anachronistic ornaments. While the hits remained largely classical-free, the late nineties began to see old musical methods revamped and tweaked for listeners hungry for something different. The international success of “Bittersweet Symphony” by the Verve in 1997 provided a catalyst for baroque pop to make its slow comeback. That such a song could elevate an obscure British rock group to the Billboard Top Twenty made other groups start their own similar designs. They also took care to avoid the legal battles the Verve had in sampling an orchestral version of the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time”. The new indie artists retraced the footsteps of earlier rockers, but were careful to compose their own material, or else use songs far out of copyright, which is no real problem in this sub-genre.
Today, baroque pop illustrates the dichotomy between Billboard hits and the rapidly increasing popularity of “alternative” artists. To quote Arcade Fire, “Now the music divides us into tribes; you choose your side, I’ll choose my side.” Each camp shares a general dislike for the other, with the alternate crowd sneering at the modern wave of dance-pop and rap hits, while mainstream audiences pass off indie music as fodder for pretentious hipsters. However, a set of artists are gathering large enough followings to start to bridge the gap, and many utilize the orchestra in bold new ways. Vampire Weekend blends string quartets with infectious Afro-Caribbean beats (“M79”, “Horchata”), Muse’s latest album The Resistance is fringed with Saint-Saens and Chopin (“United States of Eurasia/Collateral Damage”) finishing with a 3-part original symphony, and Arcade Fire adds brass and strings as icing on their layer-cakes of songs (“No Cars Go”, “Empty Room”). While Coldplay brought the string-soaked “Viva La Vida” to #1, the song is the exception rather than the rule for the moment, but stars like Katy Perry are starting to reach from the other side with hits like “Firework”. The future of symphonic rock is promising, already showing wide use amongst the giants of alternative and indie, as well as influencing the rockers of tomorrow. When local groups are grabbing cellos instead of Fenders, the future of music looks very interesting. Bands like I’m Not a Pilot, who not only change the definition of a style, but do it well, making good music that touches generations along the way, are those who come to shape the art indefinitely.
Dylan Wilmeth
dwilmeth@uwm.edu
