O'Death/Wye Oak - Black Cat Backstage - Dec 4 2008

Two outstanding bands in the intimate backstage of the Black Cat with 80 or so patrons. A great Thursday evening as I recover from my cold.

Wye Oak was a duo with a woman on lead vocals and electric guitar; and a guy who drummed with his feet and right hand and played organ/keys with his left and did some harmonizing vocals, too. They reminded me of one of my favorite prog-folk groups, Emtidi in that they played a moody folk style with a rock background and minimal instrumentation. The guitarist really cut loose at times with riffs reminiscent or Wire's Lowdown and even some of the faster stuff from Pink Flag. Intoxicating mix of styles by a duo that knows how to make their musical points.

O'Death had bass/drums/violin/acoustic guitar/banjo-ukelele (I believe) with a couple guys singing. They may be from NYC, but are a perfect fit within the Denver sound that I know too well, closest to Slim Cessna's Auto Club in that they are frantic rootsy rockers with bluegrass and Americana touches. Very fast and catchy. They also reminded me of my favorites, Boiled in Lead, but without the world beats and Irish tunes, although WITH a white-hot violinist. The crowd was dancing and moving quite a bit more than usual. Fun band that should not be mised.

Quote of the Night: My ears were muddled and the music was loud so I'll go back to dinner at Ben's Chile Bowl where this half-nutty lady sitting next to me at the counter commented as she saw the BACK of my north-England police procedural paperback by Peter Robinson: "That's a good book". You don't say?