Thursday, Jan. 14: Empty Space Orchestra

The New Frontier Lounge

By Matt Driscoll on January 13, 2010

Orchestras are fucking big, which is why it takes a certain amount of balls to reference one in your band name - unless, of course, you're being ironic. And chances are, that's what you're doing - especially if you're still wearing that godforsaken "KISS ME I'M IRISH" shirt you scored at Value Village. But I digress. By sound alone, Bend's Empty Space Orchestra is one of the few bands that has the gusto to back up a name including the word orchestra; there might not be 100 players in Empty Space Orchestra, but this band has one big-ass sound. Coming from Bend, there's a hint of that familiar, herbal jazz cigarette scented, hemp shirted, long white guy goatee vibe spliced into the Empty Space mix, but there are also plenty of moments of geek-shred prog rock power.

[The New Frontier Lounge, with Symmetry/ Symmetry, 9 p.m., cover TBA, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]