The Terrordactyls - Pianos (New York) - Tuesday, April 8, 2008

by Rachel Pesin
10 April 2008

THE TERRORDACTYLS make the most dino-tastic music since T.REX. I like to think of them as the United States’ version of England’s THE BOY LEAST LIKELY TO: they write serious and sometimes sad lyrics that are somewhat masked by really cutesy, upbeat music. The band has been getting a lot of attention recently for their collaboration with KIMYA DAWSON on their song “Devices,” but all of their music merits recognition.

Pianos’ upstairs lounge area was the perfect space for the band to play in. Everyone sat around on the comfy couches while the band played only inches away. It felt like we were all at someone’s house watching our friend’s band play.

The band’s performance only furthered this homey, intimate feeling. They were joking around with the crowd, giving shout-outs left and right, and weren’t afraid to mess up a song and start over if necessary. And it was cool with everyone that TYREL STENDAHL, who is clearly the kazoo-enthusiast of the group, was seated throughout their performance, which was due to the fact that he plays a very small toy piano that has ice cream popsicles painted on its sides. Unless you’re under five years old and/or less than two feet tall, you probably have to sit down to accurately play such a difficult instrument.

The highlight of the night came when the band got together with the night’s earlier performer, KYLE ERVIN. The two bands were playing for Cross-Pollination, a weekly event in which two acts perform separately and then get together at the end of the night to perform a short collaborative set. Usually the bands have rehearsed their joint set ahead of time, but tonight it was a little different. In fact, the bands had never even met until just before their sets, so the songs played in their combined performance were spur of the moment decisions. They quickly decided on the best cover I have ever heard: NATALIE IMBRUGLIA’s “Torn.” The whole audience sang along and helped the band out when they forgot the lyrics. It was a little sloppy, slightly out of tune, and not quite sung at the right pace, but it was easily one of the funniest and most enjoyable moments I’ve ever been part of at a concert.

If you’re looking for fun music and a few laughs or you simply want to smile until your cheeks hurt, go see The Terrordactyls live!

04/13 Columbus, OH @ Wholly Craft
04/14 Ypsilanti, MI @ The Dreamland Theatre
04/15 Chicago, IL @ TBA
04/16 Madison, WI @ The Palindrome House
04/17 Minneapolis, MN @ The Belfry Center
04/18 Omaha, NE @ TBA
04/19 Boulder, CO @ Manatee Manor
04/20 Denver, CO @ Rhinoceropolis
04/21 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Boing Collective
04/22 Boise, ID @ Sweet House Show
04/23 Richland, WA @ TBA
04/24 Portland, OR @ Sweet Tree House Party
04/25 Olympia, WA @ ABC House
04/26 Seattle, WA @ Vera Project

Official Website
Myspace

Filed under concerts folk-rock