Tuesday, July 17, 2007


- David Vandervelde And The Moonstation House Band - Austin, TX - Emo's -
 

Well, it would appear that many people in Austin have absolutely no interest in attending a show on a Monday night.  I think at the most last night there were 60 people in the crowd, but most of them left after the local opening act of Mike Booher And Catherine Davis wrapped up their set, which left about 40 or so for Blitzen Trapper and an unbelievable 30ish for the headliner, David Vandervelde.  I certainly didn't imagine such a low turnout for two artists that carry a distinct Austin vibe in their sound.

Still, anyone who stuck around got nice, energetic performances from both of the woefully underappreciated bands.  Enjoy the review.

-  Mike Booher And Catherine Davis (Both Are Of Zykos) -

The band that these two normally perform in, Zykos, is very good so I wasn't surprised that they were entertaining.  Though,  I'm not incredibly familiar with a lot of their music, as I haven't really listened to them in quite some time, so I can't say whether or not they were just playing simplified guitar/keyboard versions of Zykos songs, or if they were trying out a few others that they had just written on their own.  Either way, it was good enough to remind me that I need to start listening to their band again.

- Blitzen Trapper -

The first time that I saw these guys was a few weeks ago with the Hold Steady and, while they made a positive impression, I thought that their performance was a little stiff.  This was certainly not the case last night, as the band seemed loose, energetic and raw.  Each song they played took on a life of its own and avoided sounding like an album version perfectly recreated for the live environment, which is surprisingly difficult for many artists to pull off.

Now, my perception of their set could be because it was my second time seeing them and I actually knew some of the songs, or it could be because when I talked to one of the members he informed me that they had just drove 11 straight hours from El Paso.  Who wouldn't let it all go after being stuck in a van for that long?

In any case, I highly enjoyed them and I advise that you get out to see them on this tour, or their one with Two Gallants in the fall, if you can.

:Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation:

- David Vandervelde -

Unlike how Blizten Trapper immediately came out and were a bit free wheeling with their performance, David and The Moonstation House Band were initially a little stiff but gradually became more relaxed and energetic as the night went on.  Much of the first part of the set was pretty much by the book, which surprised me as I was kind of expecting to see a lot of extended jam sessions from someone so obviously influenced by 70s rock.  Still, I can't really complain as David and his band are fantastic musicians and they didn't totally avoid letting go a little bit, especially during the last two songs of the set.

If you like David's self titled album then you should make an effort to see the songs performed live.  You won't be disappointed.

:David Vandervelde - Nothin' No:

- John Laird -

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