I
read something recently about a fan tweeting a musician upset that they were
playing new songs instead of songs from the album, which offended the musician
greatly, because he felt they were lucky to be hearing new things. (It wasn’t
someone I listen to, and I have forgotten the name.)
As
exciting as hearing new things is, I kind of get where the fan was coming from,
because processing the previously unheard in a concert, with all of the distractions,
is kind of hard. Live versions of the songs you know sound different, but there
is still a familiarity that helps you comprehend what you are hearing.
That
is a big part of why I have been trying to prep on opening bands too, lately,
and I really did try for this show. The Gaslight Anthem had re-tweeted something
from Westchester United Football Club, so I knew it was them, and they didn’t
have a lot of songs available, but hey, that made it easy, and then seeing them
live combined with the two songs on Facebook would give me enough for a decent
review. It did not work out at all the way I expected.
First
of all, from listening two the two songs on Facebook, Westchester seemed like a
good match with Gaslight Anthem. I’ll call it chord-rich blue collar rock.
“Pillow Talk” reminds me a bit of the Clash version of “I Fought the Law”.
When
I walked in, though, it was one guy with a guitar doing an acoustic set, and it
sounded nothing like what I had been listening to. I thought perhaps it had
been a mistake, but no, the name was right. I was able to talk to him after the
show, and something came up where they couldn’t get everyone’s schedules
together, so he was improvising.
I
was hoping I could pick up a CD, and have more to go on, but they don’t have
one. They will be releasing more songs in July, as a free download, and so
that’s something to look forward to, but for now, I can’t tell you a lot about
their music really. As a band, I can tell you that if they are supposed to put
on a show, they will put on a show, even if that requires significant
restructuring, and I admire that. I hope they do well.
I
will make one criticism, in that I think there name is overly complicated, and
brings up a lot of wrong results in searches, so that may be something to think
about.
In
some ways it may have been good that they did not have the entire football
club, because that stage was small, and pretty full with the equipment for just
two bands. There was another band.
Matt
Mays actually has a fairly extensive discography on Spotify, so I could have
prepped a lot there, but I did not know about him. Opening bands are often
changed around at the last minute, and that’s just how it goes, but I try to
give them their due. So, I have not listened to everything by him, but a
sampling, and I have seen him play. “Take It On Faith” is probably my favorite.
Overall, I would say there is a sort of a 70’s rock influence as it was coming
into the 80’s, with maybe some Blue Oyster Cult Influence, but kind of with 38
Special. I could be way off.
So,
my first impression when they came on is that they didn’t seem like a band.
Okay, it is a vocalist with a band supporting him, but they did not seem
cohesive. In the center, Matt himself seemed a little grungy. On the right, two
guitar players seemed a little more rockabilly, and then on the left a keyboard
player and drummer, were maybe more indie rock. Actually, I didn’t get a good look
at the drummer until they were clearing off, as the cymbal was blocking his
face. It was a nice face though. And the keyboardist looked really familiar,
but I could never place him.
Anyway,
the initial impression was that they didn’t really belong together perhaps, and
Mays was explaining that they keep trying to find a name for the band, but
nothing sticks. That night they were The Burger Family, but the night before it
was Chewbacca’s Sash. Well, that just confirmed the lack of cohesion to me, but
they played really well, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves for all
that, and this is despite issues like a cable coming out of the keyboard three
times. So I was curious about that, and did some more research, and found out
that they just lost their guitar player less than a month ago.
If
something happens with my family or me, I have time off I can pull from. I have
people who can cover my work load, and supervisors who will make sure that it
happens. Musicians don’t get that. Things can go catastrophically wrong, and
you can disappoint people, and you can lose pay, and you can run into penalties
for defaulting on contracts. And you could decide to just deal with that to
take time to grieve, or you can decide to take the proceeds and donate it to his
children, which is what they’re doing. I really want them to do well too.
“The show must go on!” We hear that so often
that it feels like just a cliché, but Tuesday night it was remarkably real and
vital. Two acts had to reconfigure and make it work, and they did. I find it
inspiring.
https://twitter.com/MattMays
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