I can’t even begin to classify Dark Dark Dark. Are they Gothic Cabaret? European-folk-fusion? Classical banjo-jazz done indie style? No… None of those really capture what this band is. All I know is, last night at the Hotel Café, this band played some really, really pretty music. On top of that, I now have a newfound respect for the accordion.

Dark Dark Dark have the least traditional instrumentation the indie scene has had in a long time. No guitars, no drum kits, no sonic synths or fuzzy effect pedals. Just banjo, cello, piano, trumpet, upright bass, and (of course) the accordion. That’s right, the accordion is cool again. Forget about Urkel or Polka or any of those other cheesy stereotypes. Lead singer Nona Invie played her accordion with passion, making some super touching (and sexy) sounds.

They started the evening with the sizzling hot “Trouble No More”, a song about unrequited love that was overflowing with haunting imagery. Invie crooned with her rich, raspy vocals, “Find me the muddiest shore, that’s where I’ll go to get lost, I wont cause you no trouble no more.” Oh dear, this song hit really close to home. In another song, Marshall LaCount deftly plucked his banjo and offered, “I will make you a boat out of lightning and fill it with pearls.” A somber trumpet solo followed and I melted. The music was just so damn beautiful. But it was also extremely gothic too. In “Junk Bones” Invie seethes: “all the junk you fill your bones with, it fills us too… all the rope you hang your neck with, it left a mark.” Oooh, that one hurt too…

With a name like Dark Dark Dark, it’s no wonder they’re so good at revealing inner sadness about true love lost. My heart was often breaking right along to Jonathan Kaiser’s cellos (yes, I still adore cellos). These guys took the “I really wish you loved me as much as I loved you” sentiment and elevated it to poetry. Really lovely musical poetry. The reason it worked so well though, is the music itself was generally up-tempo and lively. It was the kind of music you want to play you’re walking through the rain in Paris (or even just when you want to pretend you’re in Paris).

I loved how well composed the music and the lyrics were. I loved hearing instruments I rarely hear live. And most of all, I loved being made to see the accordion in a brand new light. I was so impressed with Dark Dark Dark that I even bought one of their t-shirts after the show. And in case you’re wondering, yes, it has an accordion on it.

-Rachel K.
www.loudvine.com