The Nonet of Yes

By Tyler Sorensen                                                                                                                                                                            
Contributing Writer

Sunrise/Sunset are one of the few nonets on the Fargo scene. That’s right, a nonet. The band is made up of nine musicians, with many hailing from different campuses all over the tri-college area.

In the inevitable slew of unsigned college rock bands, the members of Sunrise/Sunset have continually stood out from the garden-variety with their sheer eccentricity. If one were to narrow S/S down to a single genre, then “instrumental experimental baroque pop” might be close enough. In addition to the standard guitar, bass and drums, the band has a dedicated saxophonist, cellist, trombonist, violinist, and a handful of trumpeters. I think that’s it.

Despite their fervor for instruments you may have dropped after eighth grade orchestra, a Sunrise/Sunset performance is anything but stilted. Over the past few years, the ensemble has performed regularly and built a solid reputation as a high-spirited live act. The band’s Fargo show will be the first of their ambitious summer tour: 19 cities in 19 days. In addition, their gig at the Red Raven will double as Sunrise/Sunset’s very first CD release party, a feat that’s been years in the making.

The group currently offers three fun-sized samples on their Myspace page (http://tiny.cc/SriseSet). There you can listen to two-to-three minute miniature previews of the songs that will ultimately be featured on their debut album.

That’s another thing. Sunrise/Sunset’s songs are a little on the long side. Like, a half-hour at least. Clearly, this nine-piece outfit isn’t concerned with crafting perfect pop singles ready for radio consumption. Don’t let that discourage you. An S/S song is hardly a test of endurance – at least for those in the audience.

The online excerpts were dynamic, ranging from smooth brass melodies to quasi-free music to ambient drone. The missing portions of the full tracks, one can only assume, could cover anything, genre-wise.

I’ll make one admission. While previewing Sunrise/Sunset’s songs, I unconsciously began tapping my foot. But if a temporary loss of composure isn’t an endorsement, you should probably still see Sunrise/Sunset anyway.

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If You Go

What: Sunrise/Sunset, Tiny Moving Parts
Where: Red Raven Espresso Parlor
When: Mon, July 19, doors 6pm
Info: 701.478.7337