Avant Fairfax

Sunday, 26 April 2009

So after hearing about this show I thought I'd go check it out to see what kind of local scene is going on. It turned out to be interesting, but overall it didn't satisfy my interests. I liked the fact that there was a wide range in both genre and generation on display. There really needs to be more of both of those. The music, whether post-punk or throwback 70s space rock, rested mostly on a DIY ethic that I love but that left me wanting more. Here's a rundown of the performers:

We missed some of the earlier acts, but got there about mid-second "set" right before Outpost from NYC came on. They were a 70s throwback band on the space rock side of things. A three piece with a bass player, keyboard player and guitarist (who also worked with some sounds). While I liked them well enough, the guitarist should pull back on the scales/solos entirely and I think they should ditch even the minimal amount of vocals they had. Go all the way with the more ambient stuff and update with some more digital elements. I liked it most when they found some grooves (in ample supply from the bass player and the occasional drum loop).

Anduin, from Richmond, was next up. I think out of all of the performers this was the one I might want to see again. A single guy with a computer, he does dark ambient stuff. The mood seemed same-ish across all of his songs but he does it well and the set was short enough that it didn't go stale. Maybe some more elements like the one song with a harmonica accompaniment could add some more layers of interest over a longer set.

Bolmongani was next. Hailing from NC, he was the post-punk flavor of the day. He'd play a bass riff and loop it; then play a guitar riff and loop it over the bass; and then start in on the drums, making the drum the lead instrument playing on top of the looped guitar tracks. I really liked the concept and to some extent the aesthetic, but something about the guitar sound didn't do it for me (yes I'm a guitarist by trade so I'm more picky here). With a more refined sound and a little better riff writing, this could be cool.

Mike Tamburo came on and more or less stole the show. Playing a solo set on the hammered dulcimer, he proved to be the best musician of the night. Weaving in and out of musical and/or percussive movements, he had the crowd pretty much captivated. And got a standing O for his efforts.

The show was running over time, but I wanted to stay for the last two acts, unfortunately. Kohoutek was a throwback 70s jazz-rock fusion band. All improv. The danger of such a project is that when improv goes bad, it goes bad. The first half of the set the drummer basically solo-ed into a cacophony of noise. Maybe that's what they were going for, but it didn't work for me. When the drums finally settled down into some grooves things started to gel, but again the guitarist needs to drop the scaled solos. Go more for the ambient/inventive sounds. This would help get them out of 70s throwback status and into something fresher.

Cheer-Accident from Chi-town was the final act. I've been a little captivated by "The head works as an inhibitor" song/video, so I was interested in seeing what their full set would be. While on the one hand they were the act that seemed to be more of an organized band, on the other they came across as disorganized and sloppy. Disappointing. I like the fact that they really stretch the notion of genre from song to song, but when they launched into their heavier, choppy rock stuff the guitar sound was bad and their timings got way off. Again, stick to the more abstract stuff, more sounds, more horns and keys. Give up on the 70s throwback stuff.

On a more positive note, I picked up a flier for the DC Listening Lounge, which is having a show on May 8. Planning to check that out. Off to KSE tonight. Maybe I'll report tomorrow.

Posted by: bhawk at 15:21 | link | comments (3)
music, reviews

Comments:

#1 27 April 2009 - 19:26

This concert was something completely new to Old Town Hall, involving some very dedicated and prolific artists. The writer presents a thoughtful and categorically descriptive opinion of the show, and it's great to get everyone talking! I must admit Easy Tiger and Bolmongani make it look so easy, even fitting that shit into a hatchback. Plus the song when instruments were passed out for crowd-participation, what a blast!

My advice on your first encounter with Kohoutek is to listen again. I know the recording is already online, or better yet come to the next show (after all they never play anything twice). Being someone known to clear my schedule to see Kohoutek again and again, I am biased. Notwithstanding, those guys know more about playing music than we ever will, which may be why they didn't register on your radar.

Anonymous

#2 28 April 2009 - 07:55

Hey, thanks for tracking down my post. It would be cool to see more of this kind of stuff in NOVA generally speaking, and I was interested in seeing what kind of scene was out there. I have to admit, though, to playing guitar for 26 years in two bands that recorded records, so I know enough about music to know Kohoutek wasn't for me. That's not a universal assessment, just one particular to me. I was really looking to see more electronica stuff, which is why Anduin stood out for me.

B.