So, last night I ventured out to the Black Cat to catch Bishop Allen after hearing their song, "Middle Management." Now, let me inform you that this song is not their usual sound. After downloading their latest record, I've come to discover they are more mellow and relaxed with an ear for melody. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's begin with the openers.
First up was Electric Owl, a one man band from North Carolina. Seriously, it was only him, a acoustic guitar, and a laptop to fill in the gaps. But gosh darn it if he was not entertaining and intriguing. Playing a good amount of covers for the evening, he did well by beginning with a Smith's song when I walked in the door. From there on, he assaulted me with tinges of electronica, rock, folk, etc. The "Magic Show" was a glorious 3 minutes of pop sheen mixed with the know how and balls to rock the hell out. "Darken Me" was a little slower for me, but interesting nonetheless. With a simple guitar chord on repeat and he sun-drenched vocals, I was transported a bit to some place with better lighting than the Black Cat. I seriously enjoyed his set and promptly bought an EP. Electric Owl does have a release next year, so I will be waiting to see how an expanded platform will set him further apart.
Drink Up Buttercup, they were simply the band of the evening. A Philly concoction, they are in the leagues of Dr. Dog, but I feel they are more energitic and rampacous. Beginning the evening with a scoacher of a song I do not yet know the name of, they came in loud, proud, and just plain fun. For a while there, I thought the bass player was rocking out with neck brace, but it turned out to be a bandana. Still, I would not expect anything weird even if he had a brace, because they were infectious with their energy and provided a good left-turn from Electric Owl. Songs were coming left and right, I did not have enough time to recover what I heard, but I know it was good, it was loud, and it made me feel alive and lucky to hear this band play.
Poor Bishop Allen, they had to follow up Drink Up Buttercup, but they did admirebly. Sticking to "fan favorites" from their series of EPs released last year, they performed well. They got the crowd moving with their power popish songs, and provided a wonderful endcap to a crazy weekend. Only listening to their latest record, I did recall "The Monitor" and "Click Click Click..." Better than the album because they came alive with the quirks and mishaps of a live show. It was organic, flawed, and beautiful. I had a good time.
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