BIRB'S HIDDEN GEMS: The Dear Hunter 'A Night On The Town'

I'll be showing you guys one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands ever for the 2nd episode of BIRB's Hidden Gems. Today it's The Dear Hunter "A Night on the Town" off the album "'Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise'. What'd you think of the track?

Have a song request? Then leave a comment below!

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#TheDearHunter #ANightOnTheTown #ActIVRebirthInReprise

[METALBIRB]

BIRBS’S HIDDEN GEMS or BIRB’S FAVOURITES?

[Papatoothwort]

I will never forget how utterly blown away I was when this track came out. Not only was it the first music they had released for The Acts in years, but its scope as a track is enormous (you could immediately hear how Colour Spectrum and Armour & Attrition had sharpened Casey’s writing/arranging chops), and the several reprises/references to older tracks was such an exciting way to return to the universe of The Acts.

[secondson]

Dude anybody who does t know The Dear Hunter is missing out. The color spectrum is an absolute masterpiece!

[albreezy]

Perhaps THE most underrated band out there honestly. If you know you know, but I feel like if you aren't into bands like circa survive, coheed, or dance gavin dance you've probably never heard of them (although they all sound different, they just get grouped together often). The color spectrum is a great place to get started with TDH. They released the album as EPs with 4 songs each, each giving their own representation of the color spectrum; black, red, orange, etc. Completely shows off the range of the band. Casey is also a top 5 vocalist for me. Glad you're giving light to a truly awesome band birb.

[craigbillow]

I adore this band. Saw them for the first time around 2008 in a small church basement. Such an amazing show. There was maybe 100 people there. And most of us knew every word. They debuted a few songs from Act III that night. And when they played Oracles, they did it entirely unplugged as a sing-along with the crowd. I can't say enough good things about them. And super nice fellas, as well.

[OcelotDaniels]

Hell yes man. This album and Act V are probably in my top 10 favorite records ever

[frantheravenfire]

This is a really interesting song. Now I want to check out more of this band.

[iTzODoG]

The ending is so effective when you understand its callback and context

[Onethonone]

The band is beyond amazing. I just got finished listening to all their Acts in prep for the online concert tonight.

[secondson]

I’ve always wanted The Dear Hunter to do a live play through of all of the Acts while actors and actresses act out the story

[alispie]

First time I even heard of these guys was when they toured with BTBAM and I was blown away. Honestly, I don't love listening to them a ton, but it hit different live. It was one of my favorite sets I've ever seen.

[andrewbranch]

These guys have been among my favorite artists since I first heard them in 2007. Thanks for giving them the rub on here. Not enough reactors have them on their radars.

[polarnightaudio]

Dude yesss TDH! Probably one of the most underrated bands out there

[blodmst]

Yeah, this is such a great idea for a series. Loved this song and excited to dive into their discography!

[axelthesot]

STORY SYNOPSIS BELOW

So happy you posted some thoughts on TDH, I always see you suggesting them to other reactors and much appreciation for that.

Casey has been my musical hero since Between the Heart and the Synapse (still in my top 3 albums ever), and thus TDH is my favorite band. Between the Buried and Me comes in second (that split was a dream come true).

I'll try my best to roughly outline the story for you by album, doing this on mobile though so apologies for errors:

Act I: Late 1800's to early 1900's...Ms. Terri (main character's mother) escapes her life at The Dime (whorehouse in The City) after her child is born (Hunter, the main character). She leaves to a small cottage by The Lake and The River. Hunter grows up here, defending his mother from people from The City coming to bring her back to work. She ends up being murdered.


Act II: After his mother's death, Hunter leaves The Lake and The River. He takes a train where he first runs into The Oracles, a group of people who continually warn Hunter of coming trouble via prophecy. When he arrives in the city, he unknowingly finds The Dime. One of the whores, Ms. Leading, takes him to bed. Hunter falls in love with her, and eventually her with him, though he is ignorant (somewhat willfully) of her profession. Hunter is given a job to be her driver by The Pimp and The Priest (P&P from here out). The P&P runs The Dime by night, and The Church by day. This selling sin, and absolving The City of it. Double the profit. Hunter eventually catches Ms. Leading in the act, and feels betrayed. He leaves on a boat for The War that has started across the ocean. Ms. Leading tries to write him to no avail.


Act III: Hunter enlists with the troops heading into WWI. He faces many trials and philosophical struggles, battle to battle. Eventually he succumbs to a mustard gas attack by The Enemy. He is saved by his (unbeknownst to him) half brother. While Hunter is recovering ohe overhears one of the generals recounting a tale to his troops about a whore he slept with years ago at The Dime in The City. Hunter puts two and two together and realizes this man is his father, and the man who saved him is his half brother. The General treated his mother like shit when he was with her and this greatly angers Hunter. When his half brother dies in a battle, Hunter decides to poison The General, and assume his half brothers identity (Hunter is super fucked in the head at this point from past trauma and PTSD from the war). He plans to try and find happiness in his half brothers life back in The City.


Act IV: Hunter returns from the war, excited to meet his Step Mother and see what happiness might await him. He soon realizes that this farce will not replace what he's lost. He still mourns his mother and Ms. Leading. One night he goes drinking with some of his half brother's old friends and ends up drunk at The Dime where he sees Ms. Leading again (A Night on the Town). He ends up sleeping with her, but returns to his new family the next day. His half brother had a woman he was set to marry that knows something is off, but goes along with it. They go to Sunday mass at The Church. There Hunter recognizes The Priest as The Pimp. During the sermon, Hunter wells with anger and vows to fight the corrupt hold the P&P has on the city. He runs for mayor and wins. However, the P&P knows who Hunter REALLY is and blackmails him. As long as Hunter keeps him around, he won't tell The City that he isn't who he says he is.


Act V: With his numerous traumas, PTSD, and lies building, Hunter succumbs to opium addiction. He has visions of his mother telling him to make things right. Tensions rise between the P&P and Hunter. A businessman comes to The City, Mr. Usher, and begins to play Hunter and the P&P even more against each other. Hunter has a child with his now wife (the half brother's betrothed), while still seeing Ms. Leading (they love each other fully at this point). Mr. Usher's machinations come to fruition when he convinces the P&P to murder Ms. Leading to get to Hunter. Hunter finds her dead at The Dime, and burns both it and The Church to the ground. The P&P arrives with a mob of people, telling them that Hunter is evil, an imposter, and is here to destroy The City. Hunter flees, and the mob and P&P chase him. Eventually they catch him at his house in The City, next to the sea. P&P is the first to rush into the house and Hunter kills him. As the mob pushes into his home, Hunter flees out the back and jumps off the cliff into the sea below, killing himself.

[spencerdeeks]

Dude this band sounds amazing! I'll need to check them out for sure. Great recommend MetalBirb ❤

[alexanderlorusso]

PLEASE MORE DEAR Every single album Casey has released is a masterpiece!

[chrisknight]

"Mustard gas" is my fav tune 👌🖤

[dubsfehr]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this band. They deserve so much more acclaim, imo.

[xbigjeffe]

DUDE YES this song and album are SO good, one of my all-time favs