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.
