In Medias Res plays entire catalogue at The Biltmore
Vancouver’s own In Medias Res played Saturday night at the Biltmore Cabaret.
In Medias Res singer Andrew Lee and drummer Steve Watts worked up a sweat playing their entire catalogue on Saturday, July 16.
By Lliam Easterbrook
[creative arts bureau chief]
Vancouver’s own In Medias Res played for a hopeful crowd of intimates Saturday night at the Biltmore Cabaret. The band took a long hiatus to focus on family and work obligations, but recently reformed this past year, recording a new album at Vancouver’s Mushroom studios. It Was Warm And Sunny When We First Set Out, their first album in over six years, was released digitally on Jan 4, 2011 and has been lauded by local critics and fans alike as a return to form for the post-rockers. It was released on vinyl format on Saturday night as part of the band’s celebration of being signed to Vancouver label File Under: Music.
The band played their entire catalogue at the Biltmore Saturday [July 16], starting off with their 2002 self-titled EP, and then moving to 2004’s Of What Was, their first full-length studio release. “The Dark Crystal,” a single released online in 2008 which escapes the 10 minute mark, ended their first set, where there was a short intermission before the band returned to the stage to play their newest album in its entirety.
Their sound has been described as sonic and atmospheric — like early 90’s Radiohead, often breaking out in cascading riffs and leads that change the band’s sound suddenly, from languid ethereality to all-out head-banging rock. But performing live at the Biltmore — never a great venue for vocal performances, kept In Medias Res right in the middle of things on Saturday, with muted, muffled, and often strained vocals from Andrew Lee, who likely couldn’t hear himself above the tumult of sound the rest of the band was making.
In Medias Res is set to take off on a summer tour spanning Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta before returning home to Vancouver by the end of summer.
