Show Of the Month
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA
October 6-8, 2006
The sixth-annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park was a hitch-free success. From the warm crowd to the well-behaved weather — and the free tickets — it was a festival those who practiced moderation won’t soon forget.
Thousands of festivalgoers took in bluegrass princess Gillian Welch‘s set. Following a soothing yet satisfying performance, Welch and long-time music mate, guitarist David Rawlings, were joined by Emmylou Harris to bring a headshaking, arm-hair-raising close to the festival’s first evening. The three skillfully covered harmony heavy favorites “Didn’t Leave Nobody But The Baby” and “I’ll Fly Away” from the O Brother, Where Art Out Thou? soundtrack. A spirited version of Johnny Cash’s “Jackson” finished off the set.
Country star Steve Earle was madder’n hell over the sky-splitting antics of the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team. The audible and visible disturbances — perhaps the one hitch after all — of the pontifically named flock spurred Earle to do a particularly venomous version of his anti-censorship song, “F the CC.” The song — an explicit rant directed toward the FCC, FBI, and CIA — was the perfect kickoff for the Songwriters Circle, which featured Earle’s piss-and-vinegar-filled peers Billy Bragg, Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson.
As the name indicates, the festival was about more than just bluegrass. While big names remained true and traditional, a mishmash of local and/or independent acts brought diversity and variety to music fans.
Punkgrass, for example, is maniacal, high-spirited down-and-dirty music performed by lively local trio That Band Kemo Sabe. Using traditional bluegrass instruments, Cary Kirk (mandolin/vocals), Simon Olson (guitar/vocals) and Nick Mitchell (standup bass/vocals) banged out swift, sleek songs surging with irregular tempo changes that picked up and dropped out without notice. Lighthearted lyrics, such as those in “Dirt Boy,” endeared listeners. “Better wash your mouth and wash your hands / No one likes a dirty boy.” And the chorus: “Cleanliness is friendliness and dirty boys don’t have no friends.” Playful yet intelligent lyrics, masterful mandolin playing, solid guitar work and vengeful bass beatings gave clout to wildly fun and frenzied showmanship.
Perhaps the most awkward choice for the family-friendly festival, dark and sour Jeffrey Lucas and the Sorrows played their heavy hearted, soul-wringing songs for a small yet largely curious crowd on Saturday afternoon. Audience members were transported from the grassy area in front of the quaint stage to a leanly lighted nightclub, thick and swirling with smoke and perspiration. Lucas’s singing style, laden with deep emotive texture, called to mind Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Greg Brown. A pedal steel’s flawless ebb and flow made the mood sappy, while Lucas applied a limp-handed strum to his electric guitar. Bass and drums kept the beats clean and punctual, while an electric piano laid down a shy layer of notes to round out the rhythm section. When totaled, the sum was a convincing and refreshing musical wallow.
Hip and charming, singer/songwriter Etienne de Rocher‘s witty banter quickly secured the attention of audience members. Berkeley-stationed solo artist de Rocher called on the skills of drummer Todd Roper (formerly of Cake) to add weight and emphasis to his songs. In the opening song, “Cerebro” — about a floating brain — de Rocher made clear his ability to transcend the typical singer/songwriter role by effectively using the drums to his advantage. His voice, cousin to Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams and Beck, didn’t hurt the cause either.
Sweet and tart were harmonies sung by Janet Beveridge Bean and Catherine Irwin of atypical country band Freakwater. Bean (guitar/vocals) and Irwin (guitar/vocals), along with bassist David Gay, have played together for the past two decades, first uniting inside the highly fertile ‘80s Louisville, KY punk scene. This rich history could not be ignored as the voices of ex-punk Irwin (Dickbrains) and rocker Bean (Eleventh Dream Day) merged with moderate effort. A lively fiddle and whining lap steel played beneath thoughtfully imaginative lyrics, such as those of the socially aware “Waitress Song.” “Some people are born with luck, some people are born without it / Some people are born with faith, some are born to doubt it / If I didn’t go to bed afraid about some bills that’ll never get paid / I wouldn’t be down at the laundromat watchin’ my work clothes fade.”
-Review & photo by Melanie Roberts
Simon Dawes / Band of Horses /
Chad VanGaalen
The Avalon
Hollywood, CA
October 9, 2006
L.A.’s Simon Dawes started the night off with a 30-minute set that should and could have been longer had the Avalon not made time for comedy skits in between acts. The band created its sound from luscious, light but tight, intricately arranged guitar and keys, steady and heavy drums, and vulnerable vocals laced with a maturity that spoke leagues beyond its years. Simon Dawes boasted the kind of musical kinship and integrity that can only be attributed to some serious camaraderie, coupled with a sincere devotion to the sanctity of music. Their sound is vintage rock (think early Kinks), yet insanely refreshing at the same time. They come across as musicians’ musicians — each member having mastered their instrument to the point of cruelty.
Lead guitarist Blake Mills — barely 20 — played with enough finesse and skill to make a grown man cry. Mills’ ability to showcase his craft on songs like “Be There Right Now” while not overpowering the tune and letting the music breathe stood out as one of Simon Dawes’ greatest strengths. The band jumped from the polite saunter of marching drums on “All Her Crooked Ways” to the piano driven bar ballad “Lazy Daisy” and then somehow landed gracefully in the lap of the closer “Execution Song,” demonstrating frontman Taylor Goldsmith’s vocal dexterity and lyrical prowess. In the midst of the seven-minute atmospheric rock ballad that is “Execution Song,” Goldsmith sang, “I’ve seen karma and his ball dropping / I’ve seen life and it‘s clever way of stopping,” while Mills decorated the background with his subtle sporadic guitar styling. Thankfully the ball isn’t dropping anytime soon, and the story of Simon Dawes is just beginning.
Next up was Canadian singer/songwriter/one-man-band Chad VanGaalen. The man came out with his acoustic guitar and sat down in front of a kick drum and hi-hat, then proceeded to play both while singing in his gentle David Byrne-like wail. He started off with one of the best intro songs in the history of intro songs: an awesome cover of The Boss’s “Dancing in the Dark.” VanGaalen was definitely more than well equipped to carry a set by himself.
Finally, Band of Horses took the stage and rounded out the night. Simon Dawes’ Mills and Goldsmith acted as guest members of Band of Horses for the extent of their tour together. The chemistry onstage made it seem as though they’d been Horses all along.
-Review by Rian Rochford; photo by Lowell Abellon
Flexx Bronco / The Vaticans /
Ride the Blinds
The Make-Out Room
San Francisco, CA
October 11, 2006
Ride the Blinds began the evening by hinting at the full-blown musical assault that was to come. They kept it pretty mellow, however, with a lot of meandering guitar and minimal lyrics. Fortunately, they didn’t feel the need to take the attention away from their musical prowess with fancy words, and had enough skill to let their instruments speak for themselves.
Ride the Blinds’ overall feel was prog rock meets hard rock. Their stage presence was just as varied — the drummer with his quintessential long hair, the bassist rockin’ a bandana tied around his forehead and the guitarist in a vintage western shirt.
The Vaticans held on to the mellow tone that Ride the Blinds had set, but slowly kicked it up a notch, proving that there wasn’t only rock in their pop, but that they’d stuffed more than a few tricks into their set. Bassist Shane White impressed by not blending into the background like so many bassists do. He took a more active role in the performance, proving he was more than the basic foundation of each well-delivered song. Lead vocalist Mandy Taylor and guitarist Danyka Kosturak were not only beautiful, but practically stole the show with their harmonization. Taylor had command of the entire room when she flawlessly switched from sweet crooning to powerful, guttural vocals, including a scream or two. The Vaticans earned definite bonus points for tossing in a little yodel and using accent instruments like tambourine and cowbell.
Just when it appeared there couldn’t be any further loss of control or lack of inhibition, Flexx Bronco knocked the audience’s figurative socks off. Flexx Bronco are true showmen. Whiskey Devil on vocals was possessed by an evil butt rock/punk demon as he screamed his living soul out with the most crazy, unstable look in his eyes. He was all over the stage and even got interactive during one of the band’s last songs, “Bar Fight,” where he hopped into the audience and started a partially staged, partially real fight. Drummer Thor, fond of playing with little clothing, was in only a red sparkly loincloth and nothing else. The highlight was mid-show when guitarist Filthy sprang onto the venue’s bar, strutting the length of it while not missing a beat. Flexx Bronco delivered punk rock fueled by the flames of Hell.
-Review by Allison Foley; photo by Cassidy Williams
Download Music Festival
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Mountain View, CA
September 30, 2006
Hipsters young and old flocked to Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre to attend this year’s Download Music Festival. Originally held in the U.K., the festival has been deemed the “Woodstock of the technological age,” and aims to feature the country’s top indie rock bands of the year. This year’s headliners included TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Beck — surprisingly there was no air of pretense. The festival was comprised of one main stage and three smaller stages, including one sponsored by Volkswagen that was made to resemble a car garage. Local acts could sign up at this open-mic-style stage and get their 15 minutes of fame.
2006 had a few setbacks, including the last minute withdrawal of Australian band Wolfmother (one member’s wife was having a baby), a surprisingly subdued volume from the main stage’s speakers (Shoreline is constantly at war with the local Police Department over noise violations and complaints) and less than desirable weather. Despite the literal and figurative gray clouds, the solid line-up did not disappoint.
On the second stage, the all-female L.A. trio The Like gave an edgy but somewhat mellow performance, playing songs off of 2005’s Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? Lead singer Z Berg proved that she could run the gamut from soft and soulful to angry and edgy, giving the band its diverse sound and making for a great live performance. The maturity of the ladies’ sound hardly revealed their average age of 19.
Breaking the predominantly mellow precedent on the second stage was Latin techno sensation and SoCal transplants Kinky. When they took the stage, Kinky immediately drew a positive reaction from the crowd with their undeniably infectious beats and unmatchable energy. A unique blend of DJ and live instrumentation created a seamless techno-rock sound that one would expect to find at a dance club rather than at a live performance. Lead singer Gilberto Cerezo would occasionally pick up the trumpet and DJ/keyboardist Ulises Lozano took to the accordion at times.
Between sets on the main and second stages, festival-goers could wander over to a fourth stage dedicated to the 10-piece, L.A.-based performance group, The Mutaytor. A combination of tribal drums, live-mixed electronica, fire performers, acrobatics, giant screen visuals and an entourage of interactive dancers and performers, The Mutaytor made for a funky postmodern circus.
The Bay Area’s own Rogue Wave played a set of straightforward California-inspired sub pop. It was actually the band’s first of two shows that evening. A few hours later, the members held a benefit concert at The Independent in nearby San Francisco to raise money for drummer Pat Spurgeon’s kidney transplant. Though Rogue Wave’s last album Descended Like Vultures has often been criticized as too soft and timid, this performance proved otherwise and was strongly supported by the crowd.
It was nightfall by the time British rock phenomenon Muse took the stage. Arguably one of the best acts of the night, Muse combated the noise control with an impressive set taken mostly from its new album Black Holes and Revelations and 2003’s Absolution. Lead singer Mathew Bellamy’s powerful and haunting vocals were even more impressive live. It was hard to believe that such a strong and complex sound could come from just three people, and the 45-minute set hardly did the band justice.
-
Nicole Sheikh
David Bazan / Kristin Hersh
The Triple Door
Seattle, WA
October 3, 2006
Twenty years after the release of Throwing Muses’ debut record, Kristin Hersh’s throaty growl emerged more like a painfully sore throat. The venue felt better suited for jazz than an aging indie rock icon. In fact, when Seattle’s David Bazan came onstage to open the show, the audience was too preoccupied with ordering dinner to even notice at first.
After abandoning his former indie rock alias Pedro the Lion, Bazan’s new work did not come across as terribly different. Though not to the degree of Hersh, his songs were still dark and dreary. His presence onstage was surprisingly attractive, despite the Sam Beam-ish beard and ratty clothing. In addition to his new material, Bazan’s set included a cover of Randy Newman’s “Drop the Big One” and a tune by The Headphones.
Bazan kept checking the clock and asking the audience if they had any questions. “What do you like about the Northwest?” one fan yelled out.
“I like the mountains and water. It’s all very pretty,” Bazan said. “And there’s lots of great Asian food.”
Hersh’s attempt at wry humor was less successful, although her set started out with considerably witty promise. “I think we should treat [this show] like a Quaker meeting,” she began, “If you have something to say, just stand up and say it. It doesn’t have to be Godly. Actually, it’s probably better if it’s not.”
From there, Hersh spiraled into a series of disappointing performances of old-school Throwing Muses songs, followed by a batch of brand new solo material that has yet to be recorded. Staring straight ahead, wide-eyed and obsessed with some invisible point on the back wall, Hersh hacked her way through her lengthy catalogue, despite the shoddiness of her voice.
When she segued into a chunk of Appalachian folk songs towards the end of the set, Hersh finally seemed to find her comfort zone. Despite the old dark tales of death, whiskey, sex and Jesus — and often all in the same song — her posture relaxed along with her vocal chords. These were the songs on which she was raised back in Tennessee. Hersh noted at the beginning of this chapter in her performance that her mother would sing her to sleep with these songs — this fact became clear in the softness and honesty she emanated.
Her presence was decidedly demure, not at all that of a woman responsible for bands like Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave. Despite her obvious vocal struggle and strain, Hersh managed to entertain the crowd.
-Kim Ruehl
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter / Willy Vlautin / The Knitters
Dante’s
Portland, OR
October 6, 2006
The term Americana, though inadequate and overused, is certainly relevant to the three acts that played a packed Dante’s on this bill. All drew on earlier forms (country, folk, rockabilly), eschewed glossy production and prized authenticity and directness, both lyrically and musically.
Willy Vlautin and Dan Eccles of Richmond Fontaine delivered a brief set that could’ve been played in a coffee house. Vlautin’s conversationally gruff voice, story-like songs (he has a forthcoming novel) and the duo’s low-key, gravely back-roads guitar playing recalled Nebraska-era Springsteen and Uncle Tupelo. The set, which featured a new song called “Westward Ho,” was likable but without much spontaneity or individuality.
Jesse Sykes and her three-piece band The Sweet Hereafter, which included ex-Whikseytown guitarist Phil Wandscher, offered a little more intensity and mood to the evening. Skyes has a dark, smoky voice that at times sounds like Neko Case at her most noir. Though strong on the drifting late night atmosphere, the songs were perhaps overly moody and their lack of gusto couldn’t quite subdue the drinking crowd.
The Knitters, touring behind their second album in two decades, are as responsible as any for anticipating and codifying many tendencies in alternative/indie country. This fact was made clear several years ago when a tribute album was released covering their debut release. The band wasn’t resting on its well-earned laurels though. John Doe and Dave Alvin took the stage and played two tender and pretty songs, “Silver Wings” and “Cryin’ But My Tears Are Far Away,” before the rest of the band joined them. When they did, The Knitters kicked into a fiery, spirited set that was in turn rollicking, bittersweet and sardonic. Like many country greats, their songs were about heartbreak, drinking, hard living and jail. Whether the songs were covers — like The Stanley Brothers’ “Rank Stranger” and reworked X songs like “Burning House of Love” — or originals, they all felt like forgotten jukebox classics from a bygone era.
Unlike so many roots acts, there wasn’t the unpleasant whiff of nostalgia or slavish imitation about them. The Knitters are no museum piece band and they proved their vitality, playing with the spark and spitfire of a band half their age. As with X, the signature voices of Doe and Exene Cervenka, individually distinctive, came together to intertwine in a way that was something grand. On “Give Me Flowers While I’m Living,” they came off as the punk rock Cash and Carter. For the encore, they even managed to breathe life into the moribund hippie classic, “Born to be Wild.” Not content to lazily revisit their past, The Knitters went for the hearts, guts and hips of the audience; by the end of the exhilarating night, they had them.
-Review & photo by Lukas Sherman
