Kindlewood - Small Sur - Jonathan Vassar -- Bella - July 21 2011

Jonathan Vassar - It is hot outside--dangerously hot. The club is hot--uncomfortably hot. It is going to be a small turnout, but the musicians are willing and able to soldier on. Vassar left his band, The Speckled Bird, back in Richmond and plays a set of acoustic guitar, harmonica and singing. The guitar playing is pretty simple, but his delicate touch is decent and gives room for his vocals. His songs are in the melancholy camp for the most part. Some times it was  bit too consistently low-key, but that was best on a night like tonight.

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Small Sur - This three piece featured guitar/vocals, saxophone, and drums/backing vocals. The sound never felt right all set. The main problem was the lead microphone which seemed foggy. Perhaps the lead vocals were the issue, but I am guessing not. The instruments were pushing into feedback far too often as well. And this band played on the lighter side in sort of a Vetiver or Low Anthem manner (at least on the quieter side of those bands). I liked a couple of the songs including a nice long almost jamming sort of song. I will hope to see this band in better conditions next time.


Kindlewood - By now, I am melting into the furniture and I am afraid I have to miss this band. They are local, so hopefully there will be another time.

Quote of the Night: From Mr. Vassar (my NYTimes impersonation)... "If anyone's wondering about the scratch on my face, my cat used it as a launchpad yesterday." Even if I wasn't immediately sympathetic, I was later when my cat latched onto my leg scratching it to hell when he was mad about me going to bed. But these are minor inconveniences compared to this continuing heat wave. I am just happy the Swans are not in town (to explain, they played the Black Cat and requested the air conditioning be turned off).