Concert Review: Leopold And His Fiction Bring Back The Outsiders At Bowery Electric
For those that do not know, The Outsiders is an S.E. Hinton novel, and one of my favorite books/ film, as it would become a classic, 80’s movie as well. In honor, of the “Fiction” portion of his band name, I compare his Bowery Electric concert to the tale of social outcasts trying to deal with being chased while also living for it. Lead singer Daniel Leopold has lived a life that understands the crazy relationship we all can have with the edge.
Leopold and His Fiction – I’m Caving In
I’m Caving In
It is weird thing to say that destructiveness or alienation can be satisfying. Even if it does not make you happy or fulfilled, it can oddly make you feel settled. After all, no one ever said “stability” is necessarily positive. You can be stabilized in toxicity by growing accustomed and unmoved by its darker routines. It is in this sense, that I love Leopold And His Fiction for their music and persona. Leopold approaches each song and the crowd as if one good gust of wind can blow him off the earth, but yet such a gust is impossible to muster. Thus, while you can feel you are watching the insanity of a man swimming in a vortex of quick thoughts and fragmented emotions, you are actually witnessing someone getting clear. It is as if Daniel Leopold believes the stage is the setting for his spiritual exorcism with songs from his last album, Darling Destroyer, coming off like demons and angels he is trying to distinguish from the other.
Leopold and His Fiction – Cowboy
Cowboy
If you read my Darling Destroyer review, you know that Leopold and His Fiction are not the easiest to pinpoint in terms of genre or mood, which is part of their genius. Leopold’s only consistent factor is that his voice will always be a beacon for his soul. By the end of his record, and live show, you feel as if you have gained an understanding of Leopold’s being that I cannot say I have felt with other artists. It is as if Leopold is an entity to observe and wonder, which is exactly what he desires. It is observation and wonder that he is seeking to gain for and from life, and as he pushes his guitar away and towards him or lays back into the air with an exhausted bliss, you truly feel him purging himself to see light. Songs like, “Saturday” and “I’m Caving In” are perfect examples of Daniel Leopold’s ability to be the coolest rocker you have ever seen by also being the most vulnerable. For all the daggers he looks like he can throw, each song is about the ones that have been thrown at him. The dichotomy is fascinating and makes his show one that is self-reflective for both him and audience.
Leopold and His Fiction – It’s How I Feel (Free)
It’s How I Feel (Free)
In a world intrigued by darkness, in terms of stories and even artists, like The Weeknd, Leopold And His Fiction emote through concert that the struggle to see and keep your light is not exactly a “club-track”. Through songs that can blaze like an ancient guitar or wind like a folk-ridden road, I admire Leopold’s performance for not only being good but being perceptive like a classic, fictional novel. For More Information On Leopold And His Fiction Click Here.
