The Key

Photo by Naomi Shavin

Who plays a full set without even mentioning their number-one mega-hit? Plenty of bands; in particular, bands trying to scrap a reputation as a one-hit-wonder. So, who plays a 22-song set and skips several of their most beloved tracks, including their one and only mega-hit (which was requested repeatedly throughout night)? Nada Surf. As an audience member, you have to wonder at a certain point what exactly you’re paying for at a live show, if not to hear your favorite songs live. In the case of Nada Surf’s show last night, it all depended on what era of Nada Surf you were a fan of. If you came to TLA on a Monday night in the hopes of hearing “Popular,” or “Electrocution,” or “Fruit Fly” (or at least “La Pour Ca”), you likely left disappointed.

Longtime fans were easy to spot. They were mostly older males sporting beards and glasses, some of which brought their wives and young kids in tow. (That probably explains why, at the band’s merch table, you could find black onesies with “Nada Surf” written on them in cute silver lettering.) They are the fans from 1995, the pre-“Popular” era—before Nada Surf had released a full-length album or been featured on The O.C. They knew every word to every song and seemed completely content with the set list (though hearing “The Fox” probably would have been nice). Their numbers also included one particularly devoted fan: a guy who claimed to have attended Nada Surf’s first show (or possibly first show in Philly; it was unclear). These audience members were there because they love Nada Surf’s earnest, messy, platitude-packed rock albums. They know that when Nada Surf is on—such as with “Inside Of Love” (off 2003′s Let Go) or “Jules and Jim” (off this year’s The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy)—the newer material holds its own against the band’s older, more well-known fare.

The most visibly disappointed fans of the evening were listeners who came to know Nada Surf first through “Popular,” enthusiastically explored the band’s secondary hits, and had a vague familiarity with the band’s complete discography, but hadn’t really given the new album much of a chance. These fans impatiently toe-tapped through the slower moments (like an extended rendition of “Paper Boats” 15 songs into the set). They seemed relieved when they recognized  a song (such as “See These Bones”); they got beers or used the bathroom during the hard-rock moments that Nada Surf busted out from their new album. (These moments, by the way, completely validated the band’s decision to pull in guitarist Doug Gillard from Guided By Voices.) These fans also seemed confused when Martin Wenk (who was also added for the tour and has recorded with virtually everyone from Wilco to Arcade Fire), played theremin during “Hi-Speed Soul.” They were the ones shouting for “Popular” too early and begging for a second encore too late.

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