Community the cornerstone of The Hidden Cameras

The Hidden Cameras

With Gentlemen Reg
Friday, November 27 at 8 p.m.
Avenue Theatre (9030–118 Ave.)
$18–20.50 at Blackbyrd, Ticketmaster, and Megatunes

For years this eclectic band has been rising through the ranks in the music industry. But, with music that defies any attempt to limit it to conventional styles, The Hidden Cameras wide repertoire of orchestral, vocal, rock, and pop elements seamlessly defeats banal terms such as "indie." The band's musical director and composer, Joel Gibb, aids us in defining their new album, Origin: Orphan, without using that ambiguous I-word.

“On this new record, each new song can be described in its own way. It is very difficult to describe The Hidden Cameras in one way, but I will say it is very melody-driven, with a lot of harmony, song structure, vocal, and orchestral elements,” Gibb reflects.

As for the disc's title track, Gibb contends that “it’s evocative of a lot of things."

"When I think of origin, I think of the origin of mankind. I think it creates all sorts of images. I wouldn’t want to say something to limit it. The song has all sorts of possibilities. In a way, it all says we come from one thing,” he muses.

In effect, The Hidden Cameras' music is defined by limitless possibilities. Gibb’s love of all sorts of music and influence are present in every note.

“I would say life experience is the biggest influence; music you like, but also music you don’t like is part of your surroundings. Sometimes a melody is something that I just hear in the background subconsciously. I also grew up going to church all the time. It’s not an influence I chose to be subjected to, but it's there," Gibbs shares.

"[There are] so many different ways of interpreting what musical influence means. I think it would be very superficial to just list off bands I like, which is what most people want to know.”

This diversity leads The Hidden Cameras to be quite the surprise at every concert — not only because of their music, but a variety of artistic gags. Blindfolded musicians, go-go dancers, and chapel choirs are some of the ways The Hidden Cameras turn a show into a performance. All of these elements Gibb uses to encourage “the band to not just be a band, but performers putting on a show. I want the audience to be able to react to things, be part of the show.”

Audience participation ranks highly on Gibbs' list as one of the highlights he remembers from tours.

“In a way, that is what tours are about — meeting people, interacting with people, and collaborating with people. That is what makes touring really special,” he says.

Gibb, with typical modesty, would rather let audiences interpret his music with freedom than influence them with his opinion. His modesty is demonstrated by his refusal to take sole credit as singer, guitar player, and artistic director of all The Hidden Cameras' songs. In response to those who might classify the band as Gibbs' brainchild, he insists that “to call it a solo project would not be accurate because this is a big band, a large community."

And like any community, Gibbs' is a complex one. But however The Hidden Cameras are defined, they deserve a definition greater than the nondescript "indie-pop" label often attributed to them — a definition that's unique for each listener to discover for him- or herself.