Some bands that come through D.C. cruise the local bars or visit the monuments with their pets. The Clean went fishing in Baltimore.
The outdoor hats sported by Robert Scott and David Kilgour telegraphed their daytime activities as they chatted affably about how they couldn’t catch anything. Appropriately, they started their set at Rock and Roll Hotel with early EP standout, “Fish,” a heavy instrumental with plodding drumbeats and squealing guitar solos that contrast mightily with their light banter. Therein lies the dichotomy of New Zealand’s great lo-fi forebears—they’re personable veterans who still sell their own merch and engage the audience in idle conversation, but their songs are weighty, if not outright dark.
The occasionally loping pace with which The Clean started their set (the call of “It’s time to go” of “Sad Eyed Lady” seemed awfully premature for a fourth song) contrasted with their openers, Times New Viking. The Ohio trio seems to only get better as they deliver their lo-fi dissonance and buried melodies with the power of a bottle rocket. Yet the band know from whence their style came: they watched the entirety of The Clean’s set and guitarist Jared Phillips and drummer Adam Elliott could be seen off to the side singing along to some of the Clean’s songs.
With a set that lasted just over an hour, The Clean weren’t going to get into all of the gems in their 30+ year existence. Yes, they finished their set with their joyful single “Tally Ho!” and they cherry-picked much of their set from 2003’s Anthology, but they often chose the numbers that showcased their mix of whimsy and darkness. They even acknowledged their polarity during their banter mid-set, saying, “We’re maintaining a good sense of continuum.” An audience member countered with “Keep it up!”, and they mixed happier numbers with all three members sharing vocals like “Anything Could Happen” with some eardrum busters with spasmodic drumming and hi-hat workouts.
“We had to make a bit of a racket when we were young people,” they said before acknowledging that maybe this element of their music hasn’t changed. They proved that volume need not dissipate over time. Yes, the band has grown up, as they go fishing in their free moments on tour and requested that the venue cease and desist with the fog machine. Still, special effects cannot replace loud, yet hypnotic guitars and the Clean can still build a song to a point where the audience cannot help but shout with joy. Hurray for consistency.
