When the amp connection broke at the start of Camera Obscura's third song at the 9:30 club on Monday, lead singer Tracyanne Campbell assured the audience all was well.
"It is not a true Camera Obscura concert until something fucks up," she said, and shortly afterward Campbell and the rest of the band compensated for the minor mishap with a superb performance.
Although the band has only recently stumbled upon a popular fan base, Camera Obscura has been around for some time. Back in 1996, the band formed in bassist Gavin Dunbar's parents' basement in Glasgow, Scotland. It was not until 2000 that the band produced its debut album, "Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi," after releasing numerous singles and a mini-album titled "Rare UK Bird." "Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi" featured the band's first major hit, "Eighties Fan," which secured airplay with legendary personality John Peel and "The Evening Session on Radio 1."
Camera Obscura's success continued with the 2003 release of the sophomore album, "Underachievers Please Try Harder," which boasted the popular single "Teenager." Last year, the band kept up its momentum with the most accomplished work of its career, "Let's Get out Of This Country." Standing at a mere 40 minutes, "Let's Get out Of This Country" certainly packs a punch, from the heartfelt love ballads "Dory Previn" and "Country Mile" to infectous tracks like "Lloyd, I'm Reading to Be Heartbroken" and "If Looks Could Kill."
It was no surprise that Camera Obscura's set Monday night was primarily comprised of tracks from "Let's Get Out Of This Country," yet it was surprising the band managed to play the album in its entirety, with generous sprinklings of older tracks along the way. The audience was gleeful upon hearing both "Eighties Fan" and "Teenager" after pleading to the band in desperate chants throughout the night.
After the show, the band and its accompanying act, Essex Green, were asked if they agreed with President Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq. When asked to circle "yes" or "no" accordingly, they all unabashedly circled "no."
Essex Green, with bandmates from all over the United States, had much to divulge concerning U.S. politics and the impending presidential election. Frontman Jeff Baron said if Al Gore decided to run in 2008, he would have his vote.
Although Scottish Camera Obscura is not as familiar with the U.S. political system, guitarist Kenny McKeeve was quick to announce his feelings on California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, claiming that Schwarzenegger would make for a fine commander in chief if robots were to wage war upon America.
