Relient K rocks through label change
By Susannah Elliott, Entertainment Editor
April 3, 2006 | 12:42 p.m.
Both the full summer tour schedule and the fact that it was April Fools’ Day indicated that Thiessen’s somber announcement was only a joke. The band from Canton, Ohio, has been reaching new levels with their music since their formation in 1997, and they are now entering a higher peak with 2004’s Mmhmm and the November release of the Apathetic EP. If RK were to stop now, their rapidly multiplying fan base might go insane.
It was obvious from the beginning of the last concert of the Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour that there was overwhelmingly more support for headliner Relient K than for the other acts: House of Heroes, Maxeen and The Rocket Summer. Even the mosh pit remained relatively still throughout the House of Heroes and Maxeen sets, but the energy picked up when Bryce Avary of The Rocket Summer hit the stage. When Matt Thiessen, John Warne, Dave Douglas, Matt Hoopes and Jon Schenk of Relient K emerged, however, the crowd erupted as only a sold-out music hall of diehard fans are capable.
They opened with “Be My Escape,” their most popular mainstream song yet, which has even been featured on a Now! album. Longtime fans seemed disappointed at the lack of older songs played, but the band mixed up their set list with a few older favorites like “Sadie Hawkins Dance” and “In Love With the ‘80s.” They even covered “That Thing You Do!” and selections from the “Top Gun” soundtrack.
The concert wasn’t extraordinary by Relient K standards, but it was a portrait of how far the band has progressed. They are a frequent act at the Newport, and with each visit, the band shows growth in experience and musicianship. In 2002, the venue saw RK with Philmore, Holland (now known as The Lonely Hearts) and rock veterans Bleach (now broken up after years of line-up changes).
The band then traveled with their plastic buffalo, Dermike, a novelty that frequently crowd-surfed -- three concert-goers even managed to ride it while surfing that night. Fans threw Skittles and Combos to the band during their set as an allusion to a hidden track on their sophomore release, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek.
Saturday night, Relient K played without their former bassist, Brian Pittman, who left the band amicably in 2004 to expand his landscaping business. Warne, previously the lead singer for Ace Troubleshooter, took Pittman’s place, while Schenk stood where Dermike once held reign. Schenk, a former back-up guitarist for Audio Adrenaline, covered parts like banjo and xylophone. Because of current security regulations, Dermike was absent, and Skittles were kept in fans’ pockets.
Since 2001’s The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, Relient K has been a snowballing success. An executive from Gotee Records picked up the band after hearing their 1998 demo, and he helped them release their self-titled album in 2000. The band was anxious to release more current songs, so Anatomy followed closely behind, and fans were always kept updated on progress through frequently released EPs. Their musical breakthrough of Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right…But Three Do in 2003 went gold, and after releasing a jovial Christmas album called Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand, they joined the Capitol Records family.
Gotee and Capitol produced Mmhmm together, and Relient K showed that they could bridge the gap between Christian and secular labels, echoing the success of other Christian/secular bands such as Switchfoot. Making the jump from Christian to secular was something that often worried fans, but both bands have been able to maintain their original messages and better promote themselves at the same time.
The Relient K that stood on stage Saturday was the same group of fun-loving, amazingly talented guys, even if they left some of their characteristic unbridled energy at home. Regardless of how they change, fans have managed to save places in their hearts for the band because the guys have never made any bones about where they are headed with their music. The songs released on their first album in 2000 were written 10 years ago, when the band was listening to the goofy songs of MxPx and Less than Jake. Now, fans can expect Relient K’s songs to be a little more like those of principle songwriter Matt Thiessen’s biggest influences, The Beach Boys and Ben Folds.
Even if it had been the last concert ever, Relient K has already accomplished what great bands do – connect with their listeners on an emotional level through lyrical sincerity, creative musicianship and memorable performances.
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