On a nearly bare stage, Ben Sollee sat with a cello surrounded by two bikes parked behind him and percussionist Jordin Ellis. The image said it all about the performers, on a bike tour raising awareness for Oxfam America, an organization seeking to help end poverty. Burden cycling on tour may have been, it seemed to have no effect on the evening's performance. "This is a great way to meet Wilmington," said Sollee. "Thank you for letting some bike vigilantes play."

The sight of Sollee playing a cello in a primarily rock club was atypical. But the sound and presence of his performance held the crowd's attention significantly. Sollee played cello in a variety of ways - strumming it tough like a guitar, plucking and working it sometimes as percussion. His navigation between delicate soulful singing on songs like the bittersweet "I Can't" and scorching vocals on "Bury Me with My Car" harkened back to Sam Cooke and Stax-era singers. Both vocal styles were stunning from such a young man, yet sounded wise and sensual.

Ellis created percussion by sitting and hunching over a box made from thick pieces of wood, mic'd from the inside as he hand-patted rhythms against it and tapped his awkwardly placed foot. His presence was strongly felt on "It's Not Impossible" and another song that got people up for an impromptu waltz. Sollee held the attention of the crowd either in astonishment or reverence as songs struck chords throughout the night, especially on his covers of Jay-Z's "99 Problems" or the audience-requested "Wild World" by Cat Stevens, which became a magnet for ladies who flocked to the dance floor.