Seismic-Sound Preview: The Family Crest at The Tractor January 31st.

San Francisco based band The Family Crest will be setting up shop in Ballard tonight but they are bringing a sound that is quite a bit different from the Tractors standard fare.  Being a self-proclaimed Orchestral Indie group, they are a far cry from the twang and distortion we have all come to expect and love at the Tractor, but there is no doubt they will feel right at home on that stage. Their six piece line up is composed of bass, cello, violin, guitar, flute, percussion and vocals, including some spine chilling operatic backing vocals that will catch you off guard and then make you smile in revelry.

Their songs can vary quite widely from symphonic, to cabaret, to a flat-out rock and roll ruckus.  It is hard to say which place they fall into most often, and given the instrumentation it’s easy to think it might be a little too down tempo, but have no doubt when the last note is played it is clear that above all else they are a rock band at heart. Their song “North” is a pretty good snapshot of their sound as a whole.   With it’s alternating arrangements building dynamically back and forth throughout the song until they crescendo into an epic orgy of satin strings and soft voices that will leave you needing a smoke.  

So don’t deny yourself the smoke or the experience, get down to the Tractor Tavern tonight and check them out. They are headlining along with Valley Fair and Brite Lines.  Get there early and stay for the long haul, it will be worth it.  For a sneak peek, here is a clip of them playing “North” live at the Rickshaw in San Francisco. BM