Chris Meyer

Papadosio came to NYC’s Highline Ballroom this Thursday in support of their new album T.E.T.I.O.S. (To End the Illusion of Separation), which is available on October 16th.  If there is a band out there that is pushing the envelope as much as these guys (and as successfully), please let me know; I would love a listen.  Having first seen Papadosio last year in New York, it is unbelievable how much this band has evolved and how much tighter they are as a unit in one year’s time.  I was quite impressed last year, and had high expectations for this particular show.  To say that my expectations were exceeded is a gross understatement; these guys absolutely blew my mind on Thursday night.

Opening the night was Third Nature, the Lakeville, CT trio, with their infectious brand of live disco-house/trance jams.  Dopapod, a local Brooklyn favorite and band-on-the-rise in the scene, played a set that had the crowd amped.  Their sound is really experimental, and touches upon many different genres allowing them to cater to a wider audience.  A cover of Black Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath” channeled a darker element to their set, as they brought one of their friends to the stage to do some Ozzy-like vocals and stage antics.  Not that it fell flat, because it was actually a really good cover, but many of the younger kids in the crowd didn’t seem to know what hit them.  It was amusing to watch some utterly confused faces in the crowd not sure how to react to hearing a classic.

After a nice warm-up, the crowd was raring to go for Papadosio.  Opening with “Hippie Babysitter” off 2009’s Observations, a track reminiscent of early Disco Biscuits style jams, the crowd was ready for a heavy-hitting set.  A trifecta of “Method of Control, Smile and Nod>The Bionic Man meets his past….” was a trip into the collective consciousness of a band that relies heavily on each member’s individual contributions towards the whole.

Nearly half of their set consisted of tracks from T.E.T.I.O.S., which isn’t surprising as they have been playing much of this material live for awhile and make it obvious they know exactly what they are doing with these tracks.  “Find Your Cloud” was a transcendent experience that took everyone at the Highline into another world.  All you had to do was look around for a moment to see smiles on everyone’s faces as they took in all that Papadosio was giving and gave it right back.

A blissful “Snorkle” ended the set in proper fashion, as the crowd erupted into applause and the band returned to the stage for their encore.  Inviting all the members of Dopapod to the stage, we were treated to a “DopaDosio” cover of Radiohead’s “National Anthem”, to which the Highline crowd once again responded enthusiastically.  It was the perfect way to end an already spectacular show.

To say that Papadosio is an up-and-coming band doesn’t do them justice whatsoever.  Having formed in 2006, they are definitely a younger band on the scene, but the way they play together tells a much different story.  Not only is Papadosio (as a band) a rising star on the scene, but these five guys can flat out play at a level with many of the bands that have been around for 15+ years.  With the success of their own Rootwire Festival, having played killer sets at almost every major festival this past summer, and a spot at this weekend’s City Bisco in Philadelphia, expect big things out of Papadosio for a long time.

Here is a look at their setlist from the Highline Ballroom on 9/27:

Hippie Babysitter
Method of Control
>Smile and Nod
>The Bionic Man meets his past…
The Sum
>Advocate of Change
TV Song
How Not To Float
>Magreenery
Find Your Cloud
Snorkle
E: National Anthem (Radiohead) w/ Dopapod

Video by Sensible Reason: 

Papadosio just embarked on an extensive Fall tour.  For upcoming tour dates, click here: http://papadosio.com/tour/

To pre-order T.E.T.I.O.S., go to the bands website here: http://papadosio.bandcamp.com/