Picture a band being half through a song you are enjoying when you suddenly realize not only do you know this song’s original, you still have the cassette tape somewhere. Seemed to be a weekend of cover tunes that I just could not place until the middle of the song… not sure why, usually I am on the ball with that kind of stuff. I suppose it is masterful feat to be halfway through a song before anyone realizes what it is… is that genius? Perhaps it is something less celebratory. Not sure. Does this mean your style has taken over and you have made an old hit ‘yours’? In a way, I think it does.
“Five Bucks or Flux Off” read the doorman’s post on the way in to Evolutions Nightclub. A little homage to the gallery (Flux United) next door, I am sure. There seems to be more activity there as they set up the following nights opening for Matei Glass’ photography exhibit. If only they had been open, as I have a bad habit of getting to the show too early when there are multiple bands playing. I needed to kill time, so I ‘fluxed’ off and got a smoothie.
I returned to the last few songs of Cottonfoot’s set including “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. Not really an odd choice considering the pace. I didn’t even recognize the song until the title hook. Slow and relaxing acoustic provided great background as people rolled in for the evening’s entertainment. Was it genius of Cottonfoot that the song was less than recognizable? Smooth lyrics blended in perfectly with the ambience of the slowly filling bar. One smooth voice after another, a friend of the first performer took the stage for a one-off and left more than a few people wanting more. Genius? Again, I am not sure.
There was a gap in the bill left by Acquired Taste, who was a no-show. This gap was fortunately filled by Life Blown Open. As the keyboardist took a break from making mad music - one part musician, one part cheerleader, as keyboardists often are – he explained this was their second gig together. Were they just a tight band as a fluke or simply cruising on the high of novelty? Certainly if they play live and settle into recording, they will win fans in the vein of The Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire and Tokyo Police club, as the indie wave seems to be far from cresting. Being a huge sucker for all things Theremin and screamo, I thoroughly enjoyed their set.
Now, the next time The Kent Boys are in town remember to bring your parents. Not only for the spectacle - as they would totally adore the music. Well… depending on the amount of redneck they allow on a daily basis.
Impossible to explain yet dissonantly unforgettable, the set was far too short. On the other hand, I think I just wanted more hootin’, hollerin’, banjo, and dogpatch drummin’. No way did I want to see these boys flex their musical muscle. No way did I want them to depart from their apparent style. Unfortunate to typecast a band within a song or two, yet The Kent Boys are well worth that odd envelope they fall into. Never have I seen such an engrossing show; the crowd was nearly silent. That sort of revered silence usually reserved for dinner theatre or kabuki. Again, impossible to explain, you simply must see The Kent Boys live.
As bands do, they did in fact flex their musical muscle and depart from hootenanny to “Too Old to Skate”. Catchy and apt, even though I liked the sound I headed next door to Flux United upon invitation to tour the next days opening. Glass’ photos succeed in evoking the emotional tug of war over the Holy Land in his journalistic showing, The Other in Palestine. Included was a 13 minute video “Magnetic Identities” which I felt was pivotal to understanding the photos entirely. As this video was looped and displayed via projection I certainly hoped most patrons stopped long enough to view it and read the synopsis. Tunes were to be grooved by D-TokK in Flux fashion adding a dimension of the ‘here and now’ counterpoint to the artwork. There is more on the exhibit, which is currently running at Flux on their website www.fluxunited.com.
Curatorial staff (and artist) Daniel Elzinga pointed out some finer technical points of the work to me (and the web-cam for the artists’ enjoyment) which led to a discussion of the current Camera Frontera II exhibits and a very refreshing discussion on art elitism. Certainly the art and music scene is ripe with more experimentation than ever and the de-mystification of art and those who create it. Usually it is the ‘how’ that is being de-mystified. I was reminded of watching the band set up next door and their slipping a microphone below the wash-tub bass. I wondered if the percussion instruments were similarly amplified – the de-mystification of ‘how’ in action. With a quick wave to the web cam streaming to somewhere in Barcelona, I headed back to Evolutions before the mysterious back water punk band left the stage.
Walking back in to another song half over, it took me a second or thirty to recognize “Jump”. As in “Hey! Hey you! Who said that? Baby, how you been?” I have heard this song covered a gazillion times and only once successfully by 80’s obscurities Aztec Camera in a churning acoustic style. The Kent Boys ye-hawed and stomped out a whole new kind of Jump that night. Punk-grass Cow-core at it’s best. A cover-tune no less, and I was impressed with style.
I was also tired.
There was another show to get to the next day, Friday May 6, which was dawning shortly. “Uncle Fester” (a project containing members of The Capones) would be playing at the Fraser Tavern and the official opening night at Flux began at 9pm.
The Old Youth CD release party – the event I had originally hoped to attend carried on without me. I left wishing I had energy left for their set. I had visited www.myspace.com/theoldyouth earlier and was intrigued by them alone – then as mystified by The Kent Boys as I had been excited t o see Acquired Taste. Not sure why The Old Youth opted to play last on a Thursday night, as the crowd was thinning for certain.
In many ways Acquired Taste would have been an excellent choice for the line-up at Evo that night, and many were disappointed they had reneged. Certainly, this opened a door for Life Blown Open which proved to fit into the line up hand-in-glove. I don’t recall if they performed a cover of any tarnished 80’s hits… if they had, it flew under my radar. I did know, however, that somewhere at the end of the Acquired Taste album lurked a “unique” rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” – which I was going to give a listen just to round the night off in full. – Lydia Peever