Snow Patrol, OK Go and Silversun Pickups @ Bill Graham Civic

I'm going to keep my review brief. It took me longer than expected to get to the city because there was a stalled car on the Bay Bridge. Still there in plenty of time before the first band played, but not early enough to get a premium place to stand. I conceded to stand against the gate surrounding the soundboard because I could lean on the gate and didn't have to worry about being in anyone's way.
Silversun Pickups started the show off. Lots of energy and the crowd was really into them. Considering the average age of the crowd was probably right around 18, it really showed the marketing power of things like Myspace with high school and college kids. I'd heard of Silversun Pickups from the music blogs I have had in my RSS reader since ACL 05, and I liked their stuff but I had no idea of the fervor that was out there for them. They played a solid set and connected well with the crowd.
OK Go is probably always going to be referred to as "that treadmill band" because of their insane popularity that came from that video bing passed all over the internets. I'm even guilty of sending it to a few people. I'd only heard a few of their songs and their live performance was good and fun enough for me to snag their album Oh No. They had interesting images projected on a screen behind them, including a camera on lead singer Damian Kulash's mic for an extreme close up on his nose as he sang. I enjoyed their performance and again, the enthusiasm of the crowd and the announcement from the stage that their new song is debuting on YouTube shows the shift in the music business that the big shots in the industry are in denial about.
Snow Patrol are probably two hits away from being legitimately on the same plane as a Coldplay. They may not be as amazing as Coldplay, but the talent and originality is there. Lead singer Gary Lightbody said from the stage that last night was their biggest US gig yet. With a sold out Bill Graham Civic (7000 "seats") under their belt and a very professional show resembling a trimmed down Vertigo stage (minus the b-stage ring). People who are fans of Snow Patrol are huge fans of Snow Patrol. People who aren't fans of Snow Patrol haven't heard much or any of Snow Patrol's music. Sound familiar? It's been a trend for quite some time in music, but I think with their songs getting on Grey's Anatomy, the Zach Braff produced "The Last Kiss" soundtrack, and just recently featured on NBC's The Black Donnelly's, more and more people in the U.S. will be hearing Snow Patrol and more and more people in the U.S. will become Snow Patrol fans.

Buy Snow Patrol - Final Straw
Buy Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Buy Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Buy OK Go - Oh No

Watch "that treadmill song"