Let me start by saying the tour poster to the right is of course not from the show I went to (unless it's suddenly become two years ago), but I could not find any other and this one was too badass not to use.
Carrboro, NC is about a two and a half hour drive from where I currently live, but seeing as how it is one of the biggest hubs of great live music in North Carolina, it is well worth the drive (which I attempt to make quite frequently). And a chance to see A Silver Mt. Zion (currently performing as Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra) was definitely worth the drive. Most people know ASMZ as the side project (not quite accurate, but whatever) of several of Godspeed You! Black Emperor's founding members, including Efrim Menuck, Thierry Amar, and Sophie Trudeau.
Free Electric State opened, I guess only because they are a local band. Their style is mostly a surfy alt-rock, with (meh) female vocals. Not very interesting or unique, but I guess they really didn't try to be, and it was an excuse to grab a few beers away from the stage.
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra took the stage shortly after 10:00pm. Efrim's stage banter as a part of Silver Mt. Zion is well known, and tonight was no exception. He answered any and all questions, and joked/ranted with the crowd about Whole Foods Market, older professors jogging in unfortunate outfits, music, the weather, and this one guy's laugh which he said sounded like choking on a 'fish covered in peanut butter'. It added a more personal element to the show, which consisted of a large portion of their new album (everything except 'Piphany Rambler')as well as a few classics (a slightly varied 'God Bless Our Dead Marines' and '1,000,000 Died To Make This Sound'). Their bombastic post-rock/punk mixed with all kinds of influences from folk to classical filled the venue for over an hour and a half, and each minute better than the last. Efrim's manic foot tapping and yelped vocals coupled with the beautiful guitar and violin sections created an air that seemed to strain between crazed schizophrenia and calming, beautiful ambiance. To say it was just a good show would be a vast understatement. Hell, if it wasn't for the fact I had to work the next day I probably would have followed them for a few more shows, just to try and capture the sound of that hour and a half again.
Saw these guys live 4 or 5 years ago and the way you described it sounds very familiar to me. We even had the shitty opening bands to boot, haha.
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