It was a while ago that I got the opportunity to look at 2 a.m. Orchestra’s weird and wonderful animated video for their single Heads & Tails. It was such a seemingly simple, yet totally unique video and a beautiful song. Naturally I was excited to receive the following email:
Free download of "Live at Lopdell House Theatre."
Like our page (www.facebook.com/2amorchestra) and share this post and we will send you a download code!
http://2amorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-lopdell-house-theater
2 a.m. Orchestra is thanking their friends and fans by offering the new acoustic live album, Live at Lopdell House Theater, free of charge. Anything you can do to help us get the word out, an article, blog or even just a tweet, would be infinitely appreciated. Thanks!
At the time I was looking at Heads & Tails I checked out the live version on 2 a.m. Orchestra’s YouTube and loved what the band did with the song in the live setting. It was slow, and excuse the oxymoron, but melancholically jocund. It stirred strange feelings within me and I think it was that moment I fell in love with the band.
I get the same feelings listening to their latest offering; an amalgamation of unnamed sentiments in the spectrums of sadness and joy. This performance can be both a real tearjerker at times, especially as Delilah peaks, and incites a nostalgic smile with their cover of Girl by the Beatles.
It’s an amazing performance, a must for fans of Radiohead, and for only the small fee of a simple share on Facebook.
Based on an epidemic of insomnia-inflicting inspiration, 2 a.m. Orchestra was the name chosen by David Kelley while working on some recordings in early 2000. Just prior to the release of what would be the first album (2 a.m. Orchestra, 2001), Kelley formed and prepped a band to play in support of the release. From that time, the live line-up has varied widely, from a 2-piece snare drum and guitar duo, to an instrument-swapping 6-piece. Kelley did a number of U.S. tours with these various line-ups (and even a solo tour). Such personnel fluctuations continued on up through the 2nd full-length release, Impermanence (2005), which proved to be an apt, if not intentional title as the ever-changing live show became the band’s most noted characteristic.
After the release of Impermanence Kelley began travelling, living abroad and performing in various locations such as New York, Central America and even China. 2 a.m. Orchestra was put on the back-burner while Kelley toured with various projects: a country band that did shows for troops at international military bases, a theatre company performing a rock opera, and a percussion trio that gigged at state fairs. However, Kelley continued to write and record throughout this period. During two consecutive summers, the songwriter made a makeshift project studio from his grandmother’s country house located on the outskirts of his hometown (Fresno). These periods were spent compiling, writing, and recording a significant percentage of what now constitutes the entire 2 a.m. Orchestra catalogue (the vast majority of which remains unreleased).
Over the years, 2 a.m. Orchestra has primarily remained a solo endeavour – a one-man recording project with occasional outbursts of live performances. One such outburst occurred in 2008, a year after Kelley moved to Los Angeles. The L.A. band was a four-piece powerhouse with a turbo-charged rhythm section, gritty vocals, and surf-tone guitars. The band played sporadically, packing out indie venues like The Derby and Molly Malone’s.