Concert review: The Polyphonic Spree (with New Fumes and Sweet Lee Morrow) raise all voices at the Duck Room, Friday, May 11

The Polyphonic Spree at the Duck Room in St. Louis. May 11, 2012

The Polyphonic Spree. Photo by Kate McDaniel.

Down the stairs and past the bar, a screen on the Duck Room stage displayed a jerky psychedelic image resembling a collage of contorted faces.

The disco ball spun slowly in the foreground as the stage was prepared for New Fumes to perform. Leaving his position behind the merchandise table, a tall, thin, man humbly approached the stage and looped a guitar over his shoulder as he crouched behind. He carried the unassuming air of a roadie, but this was the sole member of New Fumes, a psychedelic rock and dance act on Tim DeLaughter’s Good Records label from Dallas.

“Hi, I’m Daniel,” he began, placing a goat mask atop his head. “I have a pretty brief set so if you don’t like my music don’t worry, it will be over soon.” As he began with a trippy swirl of electronic chaos he smoothly launched into a psychedelic rendition of the Star Wars theme. With equally trippy video playing on the background screen the crowd roared with approval. Continuing to paint his tapestry of electronic psychedelia, New Fumes gained the respect of many attendees who applauded as he left the stage just as humbly as he had entered.

The second performer, Sweet Lee Morrow, took the stage also as a lone member act. However, the shy and quiet nature of the previous performer was contrasted by a much more vocal and confident display of folk and pop-rock piano and guitar tunes. Moving from behind his keyboard, he kneeled as he took hold of his guitar. Placing the headstock on his finger, he offered the crowd a bonus balancing act before submitting a final set of gracious jams.

As the crowd prepared for what they hoped would be an extraordinarily uplifting time with the Polyphonic Spree a red curtain was stretched across the front of the stage. A Vaudeville-sounding tune sprinkled out from the speakers as the spotlighted disco ball spun and sent sparkled light squares across the room.

Scissors punctured the curtain from behind. The shape of a heart was cut out as the piano began to play softly. Blasting into a full-band chorus, lead singer, Tim DeLaughter, cut the curtain in half, revealing a crew of 13 people playing and singing in white robes. A single red heart adorned each robe as a symbol of the group’s message.

Horns blared over dual percussion. Keys and a cello added to the mix with four females lending vocal support to DeLaughter. By the end of the first song the band was conducting an audience-aided sing-along. Throughout the evening some sang the lyrics like gospel while others simply stood and smiled. And of course, Beatle Bob was there rocking away in the front row.

The band set included the hits “Hold Me Now” and “Light and Day,” but also offered up a smoothly transitioned set of lesser-known crowd pleasers like “Soldier Girl.” One of the major highlights of the evening was the band’s rousing cover of the Who’s “Pinball Wizard.” The band danced and grooved as DeLaughter led the show, grabbing the rafters as he leaned toward the crowd.

Following a triumphant, horn-focused finale the band took a short break before returning to gracious cheers. Playing another three songs, the Spree’s symphony entertained the packed house as they true their hands to the ceiling in celebration. As the end of the last song approached, the crowd chanted with the harmonies of the band, “All in good time, raise our voices.”

The band members slowly left the stage in pairs until all that remained was DeLaughter with his hand on the rafters extending his microphone to the choir in the crowd. Bowing in appreciation DeLaughter waved as he followed his crew exiting the stage.

Posted by | May 13, 2012 | Concerts | 1 Comment 

‘Put on your boogie shoes’ An interview with Tim DeLaughter of the Polyphonic Spree

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There is nothing conventional about the Polyphonic Spree. Sonically they throw down with as many as 22 members simultaneously jamming, dancing and prancing about while creating layered grooves that are part gospel choir, part indie rock show and part cultish love-fest.

What appears initially to be completely chaotic is actually a well-organized machine that brings together a diverse blend of musical elements, including a choir and dense instrumentation. Since their inception, the Spree has carved a niche for themselves by bringing their musical carousel of mayhem and insanity to smaller and intimate venues.

Tim DeLaughter, who formed the band in 2000 from the ashes of his previous band Tripping Daisy embraces the chaos. Besides being a working and touring musician, DeLaughter runs his own and record store, Good Records, in Dallas.

Although they are in the midst of a spring tour, the Polyphonic Spree is not promoting a new album in the traditional sense. Instead they are again eschewing convention by releasing new songs as a series of singles first before going the traditional route of releasing a proper full album. This current tour, their first in four years, incorporates this new material into their set list.

In addition to making three albums they also have judicially placed their songs in various televisions shows and movies to maximize exposure. They have just released a new single called “What Would You Do?” and a new album is promised down the road.

I caught up with DeLaughter by email, and he shared his thoughts on the band, its live shows, a possible new record and creative process.

Rob Levy: How did the band come about?

Tim DeLaughter: I called some friends and family over. I had been writing on the piano because I was bored with guitar. We were storing the piano for a friend. I wanted a symphonic approach, and after a few improv sessions in my living room we played a 30 minute set.

How has this tour been going?

Really great. This is phase three. Tours have progressed naturally, getting better and better each show.

How do the songs on your records transfer over to a live show?

There is definitely a certain excitement and tone when playing live that can be difficult to capture in the studio. We build in many segues and space within our live set when possible. [They are] two different animals.

You are doing a Halloween show in the UK with all the songs from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” How did that come about?

We have been wanting to change it up a bit and do different things. Our agent in the UK came up with the idea. So we said yes.

What is the music scene like in Dallas right now?

There is always plenty going on. Something new, something different, eclectic.

It has been four years since the last tour. How has the band changed in that time?

We actually toured Australia a couple of years ago and have played several one off shows so it’s been a gradual evolution which is different than just being off for four years. If anything I believe we are more precise and have reached a place of full satisfaction delivery with our music live and with more purpose. Recording wise we are really exploring.

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Posted by | May 8, 2012 | Interviews | Comment 

Concert review and set list: Sara Watkins (with Sarah Siskind) finds the acoustic sweet spot at the Duck Room, Thursday, April 19

Louis Kwok

To embark on a solo career after being part of a successful group for a number of years is a daunting task. Nevertheless, Sara Watkins seems to be making a smooth transition.

With her former band, Nickel Creek, firmly on hiatus, Watkins has branched out and made several musical connections in supergroups like the Works Progress Administration and performed with the Decemberists on an extensive tour last year. Clearly, she’s having a good time playing and exposing herself to a wide variety of material.

An upbeat Watkins took to the stage at the Blueberry Hill Duck Room sang, played fiddle and guitar, and fully entertained the 125 or so people that came to the basement venue to hear her. Flanked by her older brother Sean on acoustic and electric guitar and Tyler Chester on bass, percussion and guitar, Watkins, wore a simple black dress and brown leather boots. She played a wide spectrum of originals and several cover songs over her 90 minute set. Her voice, light hearted, yet strong, cut through the mix clearly as she tackled the songs easily — a well-honed performer.

While she mixed in a couple of new songs from her forthcoming album due in May, she mostly stuck to material from her first self-titled solo album and other covers. After beginning with an instrumental called, “The Foothills,” the first cover of the set was from the Everly Brothers, “You’re the One I Love,” a song that Watkins recently recorded as a duet with Fiona Apple as a 7″ single for this weekend’s Record Store Day celebration.

Watkins alternated between original songs and covers throughout the rest of the set including three of the five that ended up on her first solo record. She interpreted songwriters that ran the gamut from folk, country, pop and rock. From the gospel of the Louvin Brothers, “River of Jordan,” to the ’60s pop of Michael Nesmith’s “Different Drum,” to the her gorgeous solo rendition of Tom Waits’ “Pony,” Watkins showed that she could be counted on to handle any genre she chooses.

During the John Hartford tune, “Long Hot Summer Day,” Watkins finally let loose a bit from the restrained fiddle she’d played most of the show and dug in and let it fly to have some fun. During the few years since her first album, she has made this song her own. She pandered to the crowd a bit and encouraged them to sing along to the chorus of the song about traveling down the Illinois River. To end the main set Watkins brought out one of the new songs, “Take Up Your Spade,” the last song on the new record. Here she was confident and proud, and it ended up to be one of the strongest performances of the set.

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Posted by | April 20, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: The Hackensaw Boys, Rum Drum Ramblers and Lydia Loveless pack a wallop at the Duck Room, Saturday, March 3

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Last night’s performances by Lydia Loveless, Rum Drum Ramblers and the Hackensaw Boys at the Duck Room were undoubtedly among the best I have seen in a while.

The venue itself is an ideal place to see musicians play; the up-close-and-personal atmosphere offers a memorable experience for audience members. The venue features exposed rafters, unfinished concrete floors, no windows and low lighting with an easily approachable stage. The layout feels as though everyone is hanging out in someone’s basement with the added bonus of live music.

The pre-show crowd began to filter down the stairs while, with eager anticipation, I took in the arrangement of the stage to admire the variety of banjos, guitars, upright basses and unexpected drum set, as bluegrass and old-time country music typically does not involve drums. Also providing foresight into the evening’s talent were the six microphones lined up across the front of the stage.

Lydia Loveless opened the show with a beautiful singing voice that filled the room. Her defiant, tell-it-like-it-is lyrics are accompanied by her acoustic rhythm guitar and some upright bass played by Ben Lamb. Lamb rocked the bass, alternating between picking the strings while thrashing his long hair around, or using the bow to glide across notes for a smoother sound.

Loveless opened with “Always Lose,” and held the audience’s attention with her commanding voice through the rest of her unfortunately short set, including “Jesus Was a Wino” and ending with “Crazy.” Lydia is young but has the perspective of someone much older; her punk-country sound has limitless potential.

The next act was local band Rum Drum Ramblers. Their presence ignited the crowd and quickly boosted the energy in the room. The three-piece band wowed the audience with performances on the harmonica, washboard, upright bass, guitar and percussion. Their refreshing Delta blues musical style brought a feel of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street directly to St. Louis. It is exciting to see young talent unafraid to create this style of music and pour immense amounts of enthusiasm and soul into each song. The final song, “I Got Mine,” featured a guest appearance by St. Louis’s Pokey LaFarge. This collaboration generated a booming crowd response and was fun to watch.

And finally, the headliners from Virginia, the Hackensaw Boys: This sextet featured the usual bluegrass instruments, all played exceptionally well with flawless timing. The band performed over 20 songs without taking a break, and the momentum never slowed, in fact, it only increased as the show went on.

Each of the six band members sang either lead or harmony, and the instrumental talent was evenly distributed as well. Except for the fiddle player: He played with such animation and intensity, it was impossible to steer your attention away from the passion in his performance. Also notable was the quick and seamless handling of a broken guitar string; the rest of the band interacted with audience in a fun and personable way while also playing random beats while the string was quickly repaired.

The entire show was organized, flowed well and the music was addicting and fun with a highly responsive crowd. I cannot name a poorly-played song, but a few highlights include “Keep It Simple,” “Flora,” “Alabama Shamrock” and “Smilin’ Must Mean Something.”

In the end, the Hackensaw Boys left the crowd wanting more and deserve to have their photo on the wall at Blueberry Hill.

Posted by | March 4, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Jump Starts, the Stingrays, Tenement Ruth and the Dive Poets blend diverse talents at the Duck Room, Saturday, February 11

The Dive Poets. Photo by Sara Finke.

You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. We’ve all seen it. The band that employs an entire person just to play maracas. Last night at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room the Jump Starts were having none of that.

The pop two piece — featuring Justin Johnson on guitar and vocals and Sarah Ross on drums, maracas, and vocals — kicked off a rollicking night. Did I mention that Ross never sat down? No matter whether she was holding a maraca, keeping the beat and/or singing. Her counterpart meanwhile connected positive and negative electrons as he used his body to channel the electric emotions into acoustic melodies.

With the stage sufficiently warmed to host out-of-towners, the Stingrays from Columbia took up their instruments next. They wasted no time in upping the musical ante. With a bass player that had more pedals this side of Les Claypool and a most expressive-faced drummer, the band did not disappoint visually. Their pop verses and choruses were interspersed by Built to Spill-esque guitar solos with a little Queen sprinkled on top. The five boys played so tightly together you could probably flip to any page of their songbook and they would still be on the same letter and corresponding note.

Local mainstays Tenement Ruth followed the Stingrays. The band seared through a set of both originals and covers, including songs by the Rentals and Guns ‘n Roses. Melissa Anderson’s voice did its best to keep Dave Anderson’s frenetic lead guitar in check; he probably could have endlessly soloed for hours on end. While entertaining, Anderson seemed almost constrained having to fit within the confines of a four piece.

The Dive Poets took the stage around 11 p.m. to close out the night properly. The later night revelers easily related to lyrics detailing travails of lying, cheating, stealing and drinking. The Poets played to their faithful by sloppily pouring out emotions on stage — like whiskey drunks who sway back and forth but never seem to spill a drop.

On the floor, one dancer who resembled a rasta robot grooved on his own until others slowly got in the spirit with him. As the crowd slowly dwindled, the dancers multiplied. As is usually the case, those that stayed the latest had the most fun.

Posted by | February 12, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Raul Malo rings in the holidays at the Duck Room, Thursday, December 15

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In the process of wrapping up his current tour, Raul Malo brought good music, good cheer and even a few presents to a throng of fans in Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room.

Hitting the stage at 9 p.m. to a packed Duck Room, Raul made sure to let us know that if we weren’t in the Christmas spirit, we would be soon — whether we liked it or not. After blasting through a quartet of holiday classics, including a surf rock-inspired “A Not So Merry Christmas” and a rendition of “Santa Claus Is Back” that was so steeped in the blues that I thought B.B. King was on stage; I was in the spirit even though Christmas music is low on my list of favorites.

Malo has the kind of voice that transcends genre. After seeing him switch from surf rock to delta blues to Italian standards in the span of a few hours, I’m convinced that he could sing from the Yellow Pages and still enthrall his audience. His voice is full and powerful with a rapid vibrato reminiscent of Roy Orbison. Malo’s guitar skills are on par with his vocal talent. He spent the evening switching between a classical acoustic and a Gretsch hollow-body, shredding and picking his heart out with every song.

The backing band was fantastic, consisting of drummer John McTigue, bassist Elio Giordano, Michael Guerra on the accordion and Kullen Fuchs doubling up on keyboards and trumpet. Guerra and Fuchs in particular were standouts. Guerra played like a man possessed, coaxing sounds from his squeezebox that ran the gamut from crunchy electric guitar to Leslie-drenched Hammond organ. Fuchs’ trumpeting was some of the best I’ve seen, his parts spaced out well enough that it didn’t overpower the rest of the band. He was like the Ancient Master in an old Kung-Fu flick; you knew the second he did something it was going to be amazing, and it was every time.

Malo and his band were obviously enjoying themselves on stage, chatting back and forth during songs and putting on one hell of a show. At one point a fan brought some drinks to the stage and the band stopped playing and had a drink before picking up exactly where they left off and finishing the tune.

After Malo played a pair of songs solo, the rest of the band came back and played a handful of “false starts” to tease the crowd, including Neil Diamond’s “I Am I Said” and “Blueberry Hill” before actually playing an impromptu cover of the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.”

Highlights of the evening included “Santa Claus is Back,” “San Antonio Baby” and the encore of “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.” There was a big present for the crowd, which came when Raul announced the reformation of the Mavericks in 2012 with advanced notice of a tour and possibly a new record. I know I’ll be looking forward to seeing them when they pass through town if the show Raul put on is any indication of how good he’ll be with his old bandmates.

Posted by | December 17, 2011 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Rachael Yamagata and Mike Viola turn down the lights and warm up the winter night at the Duck Room, Wednesday, December 7

flickr.com/photos/guuskrol/3360143715 / Guus Krol

Mike Viola, a songwriter known for the Oscar-nominated song “That Thing You Do!” and his work with the Candy Butchers, opened the night with a set of acoustic tunes that got the crowd shimmying around the light-wrapped support poles of the Duck Room.

Viola stood proud and loud, calling his show “an act, what I do up here is an act.” He returned and played an array of instruments, from keys to guitars, with headliner Rachael Yamagata.

The room stood full, nearly to capacity. People arranged themselves around the bar and the few tables, and even opted to sit on the floor directly before the stage. Yamagata appeared in all black, her long hair in wisps about her. She asked the audience and the tech guys to make the room darker. Fans obliged by climbing up on chairs and tugging the Christmas light plugs from their sockets. The room dimmed to cheers and the singer leapt into “Even if I Don’t,” the first track from her 2011 release, “Chesapeake.” The song soared with the help of a supporting four-piece band. The drums fell like stutter steps over sewer grates. Yamagata’s vocals shimmered as she quietly asked for more piano, then promptly less after the soundman gave her too much.

“We’ve been on a month and a half of touring without a day off, so we’re a little crazy,” she announced to an audience that laughed and joked with the musician. She delivered “Letter Read,” a song about snooping when someone’s intuition is right enough to prove snooping appropriate. The song was dreamy, sexy, dark and bluesy, spanning the gap between KT Tunstall and Nora Jones.

Yamagata jumped up and grabbed an acoustic and told a story about writing “Starlight” at 4 a.m. in Woodstock with her cats chilling on her lap. “I couldn’t see the pale moon tonight, not one wave was coming through,” she sang in a breathy alto. “And I’m terrified to look outside because I need you.” “The Way It Seems to Go” featured slide guitar, rambling bass and swanky piano flourishes from Viola.

Yamagata went solo on the piano for “Elephants,” a performance art ballad. The set shaded into somber territory and the crowd responded with enraptured silence. The band then returned for “Sunday Afternoon.” The song strutted out after some banter from Yamagata, who talked about how bad it is to “suffer over your suffering.” “I Don’t Want To Be Your Mother” offered up ornate backing vocals and the singer’s resolve: “I’m not going anywhere, I only want to bring you back to me.” The mood was full of winter gloss and loneliness, like the snowy end of Joyce’s story “The Dead.”

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Posted by | December 8, 2011 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review and set lists: Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers and Jon McLaughlin bring the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll to the Duck Room, Tuesday, November 29

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Rock ‘n’ roll is what made Blueberry Hill famous, and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers continued that tradition in spades Tuesday night at the Duck Room.

I was not familiar with opener Jon McLaughlin before this evening, but had a great amount of respect for him and his band by time they finished their first song, “Beating My Heart.” McLaughlin has a knack for writing catchy tunes that stick in your head without wearing out their welcome. His backing band was extremely tight, and although they were playing relatively simple parts, the amount of talent among the group was obvious.

Watching the group playing together, the first thing that sprang to mind was how much they made me think of John Mayer in their technical ability. Mayer is good at crafting fantastic pop tunes, but when taken out of that genre the guy wails on guitar. Like Mayer, McLaughlin and company perform finely-honed pieces of pop perfection in a satisfying way. The way they work together, I get the feeling that if they were each given four bars and told to go crazy the results would be fantastic.

The quality of the music, the talent of the band and McLaughlin’s warm conversational tone between songs made for a great start to the evening. The only thing that bothered me about the set were that the guitars were buried a little too deep into the mix and were hard to hear.

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers came out to thunderous applause and immediately jumped into “Fourth of July.” The Sixers had no problem rocking the rafters of the Duck Room, playing the country-tinged rock they’re known for. The band members were constantly switching up instruments and traveling around the stage, even marching out into the crowd to perform an acoustic version of “Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts” in the middle of the audience.

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Posted by | November 30, 2011 | Concerts | Comment 

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