Let me first and foremost apologize to everyone sitting in my vicinity or even passerbys who were made to suffer from the distinct smell of my uncontrollable belching. Note: Guacamole and a Coke is an unacceptable excuse for dinner… especially after having Pesto Chicken for lunch.
With that out of the way, we continue to the beautiful Ohio Theatre. Built in the 1920’s, it features the beautiful architecture and detailed workmanship that just isn’t found these days (except for by my man “Seth Bra”). The ceiling concavely melts into walls of gold and red that can keep you mesmerized despite the fact you’ve seen them before (note: we had just seen Jim Gaffigan perform here weeks earlier). The only thing missing from this monumental structure are Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets heckling from the balcony.
As the start of the show grew near and the lights dimmed, there was an effervescent hum from the theatre’s sound system. Phosphorescent (way to hard of a band name to remember) walked slowly and calmly onto the stage to slip into their instrumental gear. A quiet count-off started a warming disbursement of alt-rock/country sound. The lead singer/guitarist, with his crazy inconsistently curly hair and odd on stage movements (a lot of pointing in random directions) led a true band of misfits in show. The keyboardist looked like he drove a van with no windows and probably was not allowed within 500 yards of a school. The other guitarist, who reminded me of a stoned high-school dropout who spends most of his time in his parents’ garage was flanked by the bass player the appeared to have escaped from a mental institute where he refused to eat causing him to become so weak and fragile that he couldn’t hold his head up straight (I seriously don’t know how he bared the weight of the bass). The drummer actually seemed fairly normal… something not difficult to do given his immediate company on stage.
As the singer leaked out his first few notes I turned and whispered “Willie Nelson”. Sure enough, at first address of the crowd between the second and third songs he pronounced “We’re gonna do a Willie Nelson tune for you guys”. However obscure looking they were, the band matched it with beautifully blended sounds from both their instruments and voices. I loved how the deep and dirty big-boxed tone of the lead singer’s guitar worked with the opposing crisp and clean sounding Fender the other gent was playing. And their voices worked together in some of the most gorgeous four-part harmonies you will ever hear. The best way I could describe their sound is that if Old Willie made an album with members of Fleet Foxes and Augustana. It was a performance that warranted an immediate need to have Phosphorescent on my Ipod. I picked up their most recent “Pride” which led to disappointment. The album tries to put together way to many sounds and ends with the title track that features a lot of animal sounds. The only reflection of what we heard that evening came from “Cocaine Lights”. Nevertheless, I will be seeking out more live performances from them in the near future.
After what seemed a very lengthy break David Gray exploded (predictably) into his newest single “Fugitive” behind a white curtain. Mid-song the cloth fell to expose the band of “men in suits” including a wirery and energetic bass player, a bald “Moby-esqe” keyboardist and the lead guitarist of an age that it was suggested the start time was much beyond his bedtime holding a wide-body with the most striking blue paint job I’d ever seen on a six-string (the drummer was hidden from our vantage point). They unleashed what was the most technically precise conglomeration of musical notes I’d heard live since seeing Ray LaMontagne’s outfit.
Gray in his signature grey suit (he beat you to it Eric Hutchinson) came out like a house of fire and didn’t stop moving the entire night. The man simply doesn’t have the ability to hold either his head or his legs still. Through different tempos of heel tapping and marching, Gray kept you visually in rhythm all night. Sometimes in moderately hysterical unison with the bass player. I’m curious as to what the count would be on him through a show if he were to wear a pedometer. DG brought the energy with his voice as well. His flawless vocals fed his fan base that was much more rabid than even I had previously realized. I guess you have to enjoy it thoroughly though with a mega-Brit like Gray who doesn’t make it “state ward” very often.
He proceeded to make any wait worthwhile by giving nearly two full hours of musical bliss to his fans. Working from behind both the guitar and the piano (where his legs still continued to move), Gray delivered on nearly every hit as well as some old favorites and plenty of the new stuff from “Draw the Line”. Standouts included his solo performance of “Shine” as well as him sliding back behind the piano during the encore for a powerful version of “The Other Side”. The quality didn’t at all waver as he ripped through hits like “Repo Man”, “Sail Away” and the stinging “Stella the Artist”. He even did a stirring acoustic rendition of the very early “Debauchary”.
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