Islands @ Knitting Factory NY - 6 December 2005

Islands played the Knitting Factory last night and it was a really great show. I went with three other people and have asked them to send their opinions about the show to me so you, the EAR FARM reader, might have a bit of variety. Two have done so already and you can find them below. The final person's comments will be added later. Mine are tagged as EF. Sorry about the crap picture, all of my attention was focused on the show.

M: " I felt the whole show as though Diamonds had been listening to Paul Simon's Graceland for the past 10 months and decided he wanted a band that could rip a mean cover of 'Diamonds on the soles of her shoes.' Sure enough, first encore they rip into a great cover of 'Graceland' and you could just see the bassplayer Patrice with a shit-eating grin, absolutely loving it. From the first song in, I couldn't stop thinking this was one of the most surprising and great concerts I've been to in a loooong time. Also, I couldn't get over that Patrice and one of violinists bore striking resemblences to Lamar and Tashi from Revenge of the Nerds."
K: "Islands were a real joy. One of the more entertaining bands I've seen in a while. Great music from people who really enjoy playing, I would see them again in a heartbeat."
EF: "I just stood in awe and enjoyed. I used to ask myself, 'What fantastic place did all the greatness that was Unicorns come from?' Well that question has been answered. I already can't wait to see them again, though they can keep that Paul Simon cover to themselves next time. Also, VERY pleasantly surprised by the second encore being just Nick and Jaime coming out to play 'Abominable Snow'. Shit yeah."
(UPDATE)
J: "I was initially weary when Nick and Jaime walked out with 5 others – I typically don’t like unnecessary clutter on the stage (was that a bass sax played for almost the entire show?). However, I was completely sold after the first song. Nick’s songwriting is top notch, and has only improved since the Unicorns days. It was a surprisingly fantastic show, and Nick and Jaime playing Abominable Snow to close it out it sent me home smiling from ear to earfarm."

Go listen to the Islands song "Rough Gem" on PopMontreal's Podcast HERE.
(If you were at the show, it's the song they had people clapping along to. Mmm Hmm.)
UPDATE - Go listen to "Abominable Snow" (thanks for the link J!)
UPDATE - Go HERE for a good closeup pic and to see another person's thoughts on the show. Or go HERE and scroll down a bit to see someone who left "thinking that i am indeed leaving a fifth-grade classroom. the music wasn't even good."
UPDATE - ANOTHER person tells you how great this show was. Frankly I can't believe even more people aren't talking about this band.
UPDATE - Miss_Claire posted a bunch of great pictures from the show as well as the setlist (thanks!!):
Evil
Humans
Ruff Gem
Tsuxit
Don't call me whitney bobby
Jogging gorgeous summer
? (I think it says "come" and then there are two illegible words)
Volcanoes
Where there's a will there's a whalebone
If
Swans
(encore 1)
Graceland
(encore 2)
Abominable snow