We always knew they couldn't go on like this forever, but we still hoped they would. It stemmed from the feeling we got every time we caught a Thee Oh Sees set on tour, at festivals, and definitely at SxSW. Last night at the Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco, Thee Oh Sees announced an indefinite hiatus, and they were human again.
The magic wore off, as it had to. In between songs last night, Dwyer made the report, “This will be the last Oh Sees show for a long while,” he told the crowd. “So dig in.” If you were at the Great American last night, you're one of the luckiest bastards in America. We hope you dug to the sewers.
As the SF Weekly reports, Dwyer is moving to Los Angeles, while Brigid Dawson is seeking quieter pastures in Santa Cruz. The remaining members will stay in SF.
It's hard to believe what began as a bedroom project, entitled OCS (Orinoka Crash Suite or Orange County Sound), developed into a well-oiled freak mobile that released seven LPs as Thee Oh Sees between 2008 and 2013, three volumes of Singles Collections, numerous EPs, and toured as though it was the only life they knew. They left us with plenty of memories and material to covet until further word is given towards the future status of the band.
Here's hoping with a breather, comes a second wind.
