Live Review: Deep Sea Diver at Fremont Abbey 9/5/14

Anyone who's ever seen a show at Fremont Abbey could tell you that it's a beautiful, intimate setting; it's one of a handful of music venues in Seattle that is available to rent for wedding receptions, and when it does host gigs, they're primarily acoustic shows and songwriter showcases. But Deep Sea Diver hasn't been a solo project in some time, and their musical output generally consists of electric, full-band arrangements, so for them to celebrate the release of their new EP, Always Waiting, the band certainly had something up their sleeve – and they did. The first of Deep Sea Diver's two EP release shows felt thrilling not only because of the band's vital performance of the new songs, but also because, as the night went on, it felt like something bigger than a gig marking the release of the EP – a snapshot of a band that returned from the studio rejuvenated and a tantalizing peek into their next steps.

As gorgeous as the Abbey's upstairs room is, the lower level is better suited for rock bands, and as they began the night downstairs, Deep Sea Diver's setup had a DIY-style theatrical charm to it that played a significant role in the triumphant gig. Beginning with the hard charging "Wide Awake", the band started the set behind a clothespin-connected curtain, which was ripped away after a few minutes to reveal singer/guitarist Jessica Dobson, drummer Peter Mansen, keyboardist/guitarist Elliot Jackson, and bassist Garrett Gue. Increasing in intensity along with the band's performance, the lighting shifted from dim, sporadically flashing backlighting to a simple-but-effective multicolor projector wash. But as impressive as the band's production value was, it was an auxiliary component to their musical performance, which has grown by leaps and bounds. They were never a bad live band by any means, but either because of increased live experience, a hometown advantage, or both, Friday's performance was a knockout. The cuts from their 2012 debut, History Speaks, sounded significantly more powerful than their recorded versions, with "NWO" and "Ships" providing a familiar anchor for their longtime followers, of which there were many, in a set primarily composed of new material. Including Always Waiting's four tracks, the band primarily filled the setlist with new material, with a few as-yet-unreleased songs from their upcoming second LP (which is being recorded this fall), and all of it impressed. The main set closed with a rapturous "You Go Running", which featured a sudden, electric mid-song transition to David Bowie's "Sound and Vision", before bringing it back to an agile, frenetic conclusion and walking out without a word.

After being prompted by a humorously loquacious monologue delivered by a man in a strange, demonic-Alf sort of mask (Dobson later remarked to the audience, "what was he wearing?"), the audience moved from the basement to the candlelit upstairs hall, where they were greeted with Dobson shredding from the overlooking room. As she descended the stairs – still playing guitar – and began "All Chalked Up", she and the band began a unique encore that capped an already great show. Set up in a semi-acoustic fashion with Dobson at the piano, the band finished the night in the intimate fashion that the Abbey's echoing upstairs room so effectively facilitates. After showing off her prowess on the six-string downstairs, Dobson's piano playing (it, not guitar, was her first instrument) took center stage on "The Watchmen" and "Juno Song", providing a more stripped-down counterpart to the kinetic set that preceded it. The encore set finished with a cover of Janelle Monáe's "Primetime" (with an assist from Bryan John Appleby taking over Miguel's vocal parts on the original) that segued back into "Always Waiting", and while not as ostentatious as their first set-closer, it was maybe more appropriate. While it certainly showed the band's strength as a live group, Friday's set showed Deep Sea Diver as one of Seattle's most promising local groups. From the stage presentation to the new material, everything about Friday's set hinted at the massive potential of things to come. Obviously, not every band has the chance to utilize a venue with two levels, or break out into a Bowie cover without either butchering it (or making it the unintentional highlight of the set), but Deep Sea Diver did during their two-night stand at the Abbey, and they made the most of it, pushing their boundaries as performers in ways that are usually limited to groups with major label budgets. When Dobson remarked how excited she was for the audience to hear the forthcoming second LP, it hardly seemed like a narcissistic comment, because it's fair to see that they, like their audience, can hardly wait to see where it takes them next.