The Midnight Noise Orchestra, from left, Timo Plays Bass, Matt Weaver, Derrick Mitchell and Weston Schick.
Singer/guitarist Derrick Mitchell says he doesn’t think music fans in the 21st century are interested in genres or barriers. If he’s right, then the Midnight Noise Orchestra is well-suited for its time.
The Bismarck quartet has an eclectic sound – rock, country, jazz, a little blues.
And don’t forget the flute.
“We call our music an exciting adventure in moods and sounds,” Mitchell says. “… We’ve recently embraced the fact that we’re not one thing.”
Mitchell, drummer Matt Weaver and Timo Plays Bass – guess which instrument he plays? – came together to form the Midnight Noise Orchestra in 2008. Weston Schick – who contributes saxophone, flute and vocals – joined shortly thereafter.
The Orchestra morphed from what Mitchell describes as mostly acoustic and rockabilly to the multi-dimensional band it has become today. As one band member put it, when they play a typical show, TMNO essentially opens for itself. Its first set – which he calls its “fish taco set” – can differ so much from its second.
Give a listen to The Midnight Noise Orchestra catalog of 15 or so originals, and this shape-shifting becomes apparent, especially when Schick switches from sax to flute.
From left: Matt Weaver, Timo Plays Bass, Derrick Mitchell and Weston Schick
“Backyard Ghost” is meat-and-potatoes rock. “Lonely City” is an acoustic number with a great melody and pretty harmonies. “Turn It On” starts with a riff that recalls the Smithereens, until the flute kicks and the song takes a couple of left turns. “Set Me Free” is breezy and up-tempo, “Coal Train” jangly. Then there are the instrumentals. “Shed Thieves” features some slinky sax from Schick and, like the moody “Noise X”, is jazz-influenced, “Red Grass Shuffle” closer to bluegrass.
Mitchell, the Orchestra’s lyricist, is a huge Merle Haggard fan, but the band also loves 1980s metal.
The melding of such diverse influences – on display in the Orchestra’s excellent Prairie Public video below – is one part of the band’s appeal.
“First of all, they love us because we’re friendly,” Mitchell says. “Then they love us because we’re tight. Then they’re like, ‘They’re tight – what’s beyond that. Well, they play pretty good. And what’s beyond that?’ Now they come up to us and say, ‘I listened to that song, and those words are good, or I never caught that thing that Tim was doing on bass before.’ They start picking it apart.”
And Mitchell adds – somewhat tongue in cheek – that the Midnight Noise Orchestra has big plans for the year ahead.
“We are not a particularly rehearsed band. We are not a particularly studious band. We are not a particularly learned band. But we’re the best band from here to Timbuk 3. We’re the best damn thing since sliced bread,” he says with a grin. “… I really want to see 2013 finally be the year of the Orchestra.”
Bismarck Music Notes 