Knar Bedian

Typhoon: an Orchestra, an Onion? – 9/29/13 – Brighton Music Hall

A mismatched group of eleven musicians performed at Brighton Music Hall last Sunday night – with their various fashion styles it seemed, at first, that the only thing they had in common was the fact that they were all cramped together on the stage. Guitar straps draped across their necks, and horns, drumsticks, and violins in hand, they quickly asserted themselves as a band.

So what did they bring to the stage? Energy, to the point that broken drumstick pieces flew through the air. A sense of synchronicity, which is often seen in orchestras – the band moved with the music and hunched down for quieter sections. And, they brought a characteristic that’s sometimes lost when bands are condensed to the typical four-piece set: layers. After all, three violinists, three horn players, three drum sets, multiple guitarists, and eleven sets of vocal chords can create a lot more complexity. Yes, with its layers upon layers of sound, Typhoon was like an onion.

The overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response at Brighton Music Hall genuinely surprised the band. “What have we been doing not being in Boston?” they asked, throwing each other bewildered glances, giant grins spread across their faces.

Most of the audience was obviously fans of the band and sang along, and the band took a moment to thank whoever had help raise the money in their Kickstarter campaign for their tour bus, inviting them to take a tour of it. They challenged the audience to dance to the unconventional beats of “100 Years,” joked about TV show finales (“I thought people would be watching Breaking Bad tonight”) and when they played “Young Fathers,” the lead singer’s lyrics “I was born in September” were met with a ”Happy Birthday!” from an audience member. (It was a September night after all.)

If you take a step back and really listen to the lyrics, somehow ignoring the upbeat melodies or intricate layers of sound, you’ll soon realize that these are songs of a man who has gone through a lot and overcome many an obstacle. This was clearest when the lead singer introduced the song “Morton’s Fork,” explaining: “This is a real thing, look it up. It’s when someone is paralyzed by two equally bad choices.” By strange coincidence the lead singer, who added that he dealt with this type of decision in the past, happens to be named Kyle Morton.

When the band left the stage the audience stamped their feet in encore, and when they returned, they began with a song most wouldn’t have expected: an intimate acoustic piece. “You guys are quiet when you’re supposed to be quiet” Morton said, before gently starting “The Sickness Unto Death.” Judging from the expressions on the group’s faces, Typhoon will be back in Boston soon, and I know I’m not alone in saying I’m already looking forward to it.