Normally, I try to catch opening acts whenever I go out; I like to support the local music scene in most ways possible (short of rooting for The Tender Idols). But since a friend was in town, I didn't make it to the concert until about 20 minutes into 3D5SPD's set.

Which was something like 20 minutes too soon.

Maybe it's just me but I never wanted to hear a band that was a combination of Jane's Addiction, Man Or Astroman?, and King Crimson. Maybe it was the noodling keyboards, or maybe it was semi-math rock beat. Either way, I drank two beers in 20 minutes just to cope with the sound.

However, once they finished, The Dismemberment Plan set up quickly and started their set. At first they focused on songs from last year's Emergency & I, but they quickly moved on to older material, including a fun version of Ice of Boston.

However, they really didn't hit their stride until close to the end of their hour long set. At that point, they played First Anniversary of Your Last Phone Call and Dismemberment Plan Get Rich back to back.

And I remembered why they are such an impressive band. At times, I could imagine that each band member was playing in his own key and time signature, which may sound like a bad thing. However, in The Plan's case, the combination of sounds and instruments adds up to larger sum of complex rhythms and off-kilter vocals.