| SHOW OF THE MONTH
Akudama / White Hinterland / Throw Me The Statue
The Middle East Upstairs
Cambridge, MA
April 8, 2008
With a buzzing blogosphere hyping Throw Me The Statue’s debut album, Moonbeams , it’s hard to know whether or not people were at the Middle East Upstairs to see what all the fuss was about, or to be seen themselves while checking out the newest darlings of Pitchfork. Fortunately, what was happening onstage kept the audience’s people watching to a minimum and offered three talented groups the chance to be the coolest kids in the room. Not counting the guy with the (ironic?) mullet in the back of the club. ‘Sup, dude.
Brooklyn group Akudama got the night started with a blend of indie-rock with fuzzed out guitars. Vocalist/Keyboardist/Rhythm Guitarist Blake Charleton is the reason why Akudama is not just paint-by-numbers indie-rock band that calls Brooklyn “home.” His vocal range is somewhere between a ‘50s doo-wop singer and indie-rock crooner — able to hit notes that don’t exactly match up with the singer’s disheveled appearance. The group did touch on the sound of the ‘50s for a moment, with the song “Glad.” With a similar melody to The Penguins’ “Earth Angel,” Akudama recorded the song after Charleton brought the song to a band rehearsal, after remembering the melody he wrote for the track when he was 10.
Jamaica Plain’s White Hinterland, a vehicle for singer/songwriter Casey Dienel, took the stage next. With the stage strewn with white Christmas lights, the singer’s stirring vocal took on an even more haunting tone. Performing with a band consisting of drummer Matt Meyer and Shawn Creeden, who plays a wood saw with a violin bow that shrieked a ethereal sound throughout the club. With Dienel’s soft-spoken vocal delivery, it was hard at times to hear her, even with the room eerily hushed.
After the mellow sounds of White Hinterland, the room was ready to rock or at the very least, sway rigorously. It’s astonishing to hear Throw Me The Statue on record and then see them live. The meticulous nature of their recordings should make it tough for the group to recreate their recorded sound live on stage, but the group pulled it off, making the songs of Moonbeams come to life with energetic playing behind frontman Scott Reitherman. The highlight of the set, the rocker “A Mutinous Dream,” was tweaked a bit for the transfer to stage but lost none of its edge or catchiness with the song’s irresistible guitar riff.
As all eyes were fixed on the stage; it looks like Pitchfork was right about these guys.
-Review and photo by Nick Stefanovich
The Rob Benton Band / Township / Bang Camaro
Hard Rock Café
Boston, MA
April 5, 2008
You can always count on that wholesome metal music to fight for worthy causes. However, unlike most bands head-banging their way out of trouble, Bang Camaro’s partnership with Ernie Boch Jr.’s Music Drives Us Foundation was purely altruistic. The program helps fund organizations that teach music education to less fortunate kids all around Massachusetts and with the help of 20 enthusiastic boys who, in their own words, ruined their lives for music, they raised enough to urge others to follow their path to damnation, er- glory.
The first act was The Rob Benton Band who paired deftly strummed softer harmonies with forceful vocals. Ending their set, they delivered a sweet and simple acoustic number with humble sincerity before segueing into a Jimi Hendrix cover. Although not the most original of soft rock, the finale medley of, “All Along the Watchtower,” and various Vanilla Ice gems.
Next up were Township who look like they just graduated from Berklee but their `70s-edged sleaze rock was far from the usual pretensions of college prog-rock. Wailing out their vocals with the machine-gun conviction of a male Joan Jett, you’d half-expect them to be wearing bell-bottoms. Their solos were solid mixtures of old blues-y rock tinged with modern elements; upbeat basslines, whooping choruses, and weird mullets.
And finally the lights dimmed, the drum rolled, and Bang Camaro took the stage. The effect couldn’t have been grander if they’d come out to “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Opening with, “Out on the Streets,” they blasted into a set so loud you almost couldn’t hear the nineteen bellowing (but in tune!) voices. The cheekily narcissistic, “You Know I Like My Band,” was just as glibly set off by the Rob Halford-esque screech of, “Yeah mother***er!” by a member of the band whose stature certainly didn’t match what came out of his mouth. In another Halford reference, the battle cry, “Hell-bent for liquor!” from, “Swallow the Razor,” was happily screamed back and forth between band and audience, as everyone was encouraged to keep the beer flowing and the whiplash coming. The glorious scene that is nineteen males head-banging so enthusiastically, even when most of them didn’t have the necessary length to their locks, was offered courtesy of “F.Y.T.F.O.”, a pounding number that sounds like someone kick started it’s heart with a touch of AC/DC. The `80s power ballad intro of “Gates of Love,” could’ve calmed everyone down but that would’ve been hard when that much adrenaline racing. The band also played “Push, Push (Lady Lightning),” with its catchy twin guitar intro. Without enough numbers for proper encores, the band just re-did some of the songs like “Nightlife Commando,” which the audience lapped up since it came with the exclamation that though, “[They’ve] been on tour, and got a great reception, there’s no place like home- Boston.” Now, with their help, Boston may be getting even more music-happy boys to cheer on.
-Review by Leyla Hamedi, Photo by Leslie Storm
Portugal the Man / The Big Sleep / Minus the Bear
Paradise Rock Club
Boston, MA
April 6, 2008
Portugal the Man opened the night with a modest, yet respectable set. With a “less talk, more rock,” attitude, the band put business first, quickly moving from one upbeat song to the next, hardly pausing to talk to the crowd. Offering the most enjoyable and authentic performance of the evening, front man John Baldwin Gourley’s brawny voice and distinctive lyrics brought the sound together as Zach Carother’s mellow bass grooves and drummer Jason Sechrist’s catchy beats blanketed the crowd. The successful integration of wooden shakers and tambourine as they danced around stage playing “Church Mouth” and “Telling Tellers Tell Me” off of their latest full-length Church Mouth, demonstrated their talent as musicians while not taking themselves too seriously.
The Big Sleep took the stage next, clad in tight-fit clothing and long black hair. Despite the fact that there were now twice as many people in the crowd, this NYC trio did little to intensify the mounting ambiance. Sonya Balchandani, the bands bassist and pianist, and guitarist Danny Barria, though impressive on their respective instruments, simply did not blend with the other two bands — both as a trio and as a more classic rock band. Their set merely served to increase the eagerness for the headlining band to take the stage.
Having just come from their outdoor show at Brandeis University, Minus the Bear showed no lack of vigor and enthusiasm. Living up to their reputation and laid-back style, the five members of Minus the Bear strolled casually onto stage. Thankful to be playing inside, front man Jake Snider made small talk with the crowd in between sips of tea from a giant red mug in between songs. The crowd’s eagerness was immediately satisfied as the band started their set with their quintessential rock ballad “Memphis and 53rd”. From the time they took the stage, it was all smiles, especially during “Ice Monster” when bassist Cory Murchy and guitarist Dave Knudsen each put down their guitars to add more percussion on a small set of snare drums. Unlike most headlining bands, Minus the Bear played a balanced set, catering to both new and longstanding fans. Impressively, the encore tracks were all taken from their original album Highly Refined Pirates, playing a wonderful version of “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse” and finishing with “We Are Not the Football Team.”
-Review and photos by Tyler Hoffman
John Brown’s Body / Giant Panda/ Passafire
The Paradise Rock Club
Boston, MA
April 20, 2008
The vibe was high at the Paradise for a night of roots-style reggae, featuring the Cambridge-based band John Brown’s Body. The sold-out show joined fans together to celebrate the groups’ latest album Pressure Point, a release which has been praised for strongly pushing the envelope on contemporary American reggae. With strong openers Giant Panda and Passafire kicking things off, the night was set ablaze with rhythm and beats that left no two feet standing still. Based in Cambridge, MA, the members of John Brown’s Body have already endured a lengthy, transformative career as one of the most successful and appreciated American reggae groups today. Consisting of eight members, together they appear as a larger than life force, complete with a dynamic horn section, the Hammond B-3, stellar guitar and bass, percussion, and more. Completing their signature sound are the charged, socially conscious lyrics and infectious melodies that continue to capture fans year after year. Their most recent album represents John Brown’s Body coming of age, and after ten-years on the road together, the onstage cohesion and power appears utterly undeniable.Certainly worthy of note was the non-stop energy provided by singer Elliot Martin, who celebrated his return to the stage since recovering from vocal-related surgery earlier in the month. He rocked through the night, receiving especially loud responses as he guided the band through a preview of new tracks like “Get Yourself Over” off an upcoming album. One of the many high-points arrived when lead singer Craig Fujita from the group Pressure Cooker joined the stage, fusing the sounds of old-school reggae with the new, and sending the crowd into a frenzy.The band proved they could blow the crowd away as a whole, but each member proved to separately encompass a fire that kept all spirits high and all people on the move. John Brown’s Body offers an extremely refreshing vibe, where they appear both laid-back and excited about their success and simply glad to be entertaining.
Review by Jillian Horn, Photo by Gregg Patay
Jenee Halstead—CD release
Club Passim
Cambridge, MA
April 10th, 2008
Jenee Halstead and her band filled Club Passim with devoted fans and southern lullabies for the release party of The River Grace. Halstead, a Washington state native, mentioned she had first visited Passim two years previously when she first moved to Boston, and was honored to be able to play the room for her release party. Halstead has been compared to such greats as Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin. Her sound carried the dusty spirit of old country folk but with a modern, young and fast-pasted twist.
Halstead’s lacy voice, complete with a signature country-warble, lead the band into songs about highway legends and memories of love. Luke Price on fiddle noticeably supported the flow of each song with his tender sound. The night started out with “Dusty Rose” a slow country/folk ballad interwoven with essences of dobro and upright bass.
“The Darkest Day”, which carried her strongest melody, is proof that a story about a run from the police can be bone-chillingly beautiful. Her voice gracefully stretched to capture the perfect notes which sparkled soft and quick like stars in the harmony of the song.
The watery, waltzy blues of “St. Peter” silenced the already focused audience. Halstead’s voice sank dark and sultry as she sang of motivation and life-lessons for a loved one. The steady strum of the guitar and call of the mandolin throughout the song seemed to agree and encourage the message in the sad, but hopeful lyrics.
In between songs, Halstead would joke with her band mates and the audience. The teamwork of all the musicians was obvious. Each member of the group playing gently enough to illuminate the strength in Halstead’s voice without allowing the sound of their own instruments to be lost. Throughout the evening Halstead and her band would start out in different musical locations and find each other harmoniously before the end of each song.
Halstead ended the set by playing a rendition of Gillian Welsh’s, “Winter’s Come and Gone.” Ironically, outside was the first day of Boston’s warmth and sunshine since the infamous winter’s end. The band played Welsh’s tune as enthusiastic as the audience’s applause afterward. The band returned to the stage with a heartfelt encore of “Keep Me Alive” by Sarah Siskind.
Review by Meghan Chiampa, Photo by Gretjen Helene Hargesheimer
Erin Harpe
The Alchemist Lounge
Jamaica Plain, MA
April 3, 2008
Celebrating the release of her latest album Delta Blues Duets, singer Erin Harpe owned the night with her unique take on the acoustic delta blues. Harpe, the frontwoman for the popular electro-funk dance band Lovewhip, was warmly received as she presented her contrasting shift into the blues world. The audience was varied, some old some young, many obviously familiar with Harpe and a few simply taking a chance for the first time. Once Harpe took the stage, however, all listeners appeared captivated and ultimately pleased with the nights’ performance.
Harpe, a native of the Washington DC area, began playing guitar in her teens. She eventually took to folk festivals, coffee houses, and bars to spread her sound. Harpe then moved to Boston to further develop her music and blues guitar style, subsequently finding success as a blues artist via a Rounder Records national tour and the Boston Blues Challenge.
Delta Blues Duets consists of tracks performed by Harpe and her father. For this event, however, only Erin was present to intimately supply infectious vocals and gritty guitar strumming, along with the welcome addition of guest saxophonist and former Lovewhip musician, Sister Nancy.
Decked out in polka dots and leg warmers with her dreadlocks pulled back, Harpe came ready to rock the blues with her eclectic style in hand. The strength of Harpe’s vocal tonality was able to effortlessly blend with the higher register of the accompanying alto saxophone, causing the most organic of emotions to illuminate the room. The songs were personal and gripping, but interestingly enough, the rawness of’ the lyrical content often gave way to certain spark of positivity that allowed for the audience to feel comfortable enough to break out an occasional dance move and even smile.
Some of the most memorable numbers included Harpe’s rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Hell Hound On My Trail” and Blind Arthur Blake’s “You Gonna Quit Me Baby”, with her gritty guitar picking matching the most authentic styles of the deep South. The mere attempt to cover such iconic blues tracks serves as evidence of Harpe’s high level of dedication and confidence as an artist, and her ability to interpret such sounds in her style demonstrates her skill. Harpe’s presence was highly endearing and unpretentious, and she embodied a new, independent form of the blues that surely left the audience wanting more.
Review by Jillian Horn, Photo by Jim Countryman |
