Caught the last half of Marisa Anderson's set. Solitary female guitarist, Anderson has been positively reviewed in this blog before (opened for Tashi Dorji at Cafe 9). Anderson plays loud, just shy of distortion, but the wide open feel to her songs really resonate. Her new record references the American west and has a lighter feel than her previous bluesier outings. Lamenting the recent election results, Anderson played a great take on "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" saying it was a historic call for action and readiness.
Xylouris White is the duo of Cretan lutist George Xylouris and Australian drummer (and member of The Dirty Three) Jim White. The lute was amped in such a way as to not sound medieval. Xylouris' vocal style was tender and abrasive. Songs were sung in Greek. White had an odd avant grade drum style that looked like he was a puppet lifting his arms high above his head. He used mallets and sticks to great effect. Both of these musicians were middle aged and hairy. During one soft ballad, George put the lute down and went to the bar to scold some chatty millennials for not respecting his concert space. I know what you're thinking, Cretan lutist was a term that I convulsed toward president elect Trump in a fit of denial, but apart from noteworthy hair, and a language I don't understand, the comparison stops there.
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