Marissa Nadler 7/20/14 Outerspace

Moved from the ballroom to the more intimate Outerspace, Nadler on guitars and vocals accompanied by Helene Espvall on cello and keys. Massachusetts native Nadler is a quiet folkie with decent guitar skills, she even broke out an acoustic 12-string for good effect. Shy, with little inter-song banter about the songs detracted from the show. Nadler's vocals were indistinct and monotonous which left little upside to this show. A recent interview with Nadler in the magazine Wire explored her interest in traditional music which seemed absent on this evening.

Andrew Bird and Hands of Glory 7/8/14 Central Park Summerstage

I didn't get the memo that said hip indie acts that play for free on the CP Summerstage attract throngs of like-minded hipsters. In doing the math, seeing the entry line extend through mid-town should not have been a surprise. The good news is that finding a spot that is within listening (but not viewing) distance is easy. We found a bench and listened to Andrew Bird and band. AB's following has snowballed over time. Quirky lyrics, whistling, oddball brand of Americana has steadily grown steam over time. His original band, Bowl of Fire, has been replaced by the Hands of Glory. HOG sported Tift Merritt on vocals that added a nice flair to ABs eccentricity. While the throng got the cramped view, we enjoyed the sounds and the fireflies in Central Park on this nice summer evening.

Beck w/ Sean Lennon's Goastt 6/24/14 Massmoca

Massachusetts museum of contemporary art is nestled in the bucolic town of North Adams. The museum is in the 1900s factory that made gasmasks for WWII. Joe's field, the open space behind the museum, was the site for this performance. Sean Lennon's band Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger opened the show. Loud and fuzzy, Goastt sped through a slurry set. Sean's vocals, at times, bore a genetic resemblance to his icon father.
I haven't seen Beck since the Odelay slot at a Lollapalooza in Hartford.  Beck's recent album, Morning Phase boasts the same lineup as the fantastic release Sea Change. Beck rarely comes to our area, and this show made up for lost time. Culling hits from all points in his career, Beck put on a great show. Devil's Haircut, Black Tambourine, Novocaine, Modern Guilt, Think I'm In Love, Golden Age, Lost Cause, Blackbird Chain, Loser, Guero, New Pollution, Paper Tiger, Heart as a Drum, Girl, E-pro, Hell Yes, an awesome Debra, closed the show with Two Turntables and a Microphone. The venue was packed, the weather was perfect, and the concert was memorable.

Gringo Starr w/ Atrina 6/11/14 Bar

Hard rockers Atrina started the show. Strong female singer-shredder led the two guitar, bass, drums attack. Drummer could have been John Bonham's nephew, sounded as if he had cinder blocks tied to the drumsticks.
Atlanta natives Gringo Starr have been around for years. I'm pretty sure this is the third time i've seen them at Bar. Jangly garage pop is GS's style. Two guitars, (sometimes keys), bass and drums was the lineup. In previous shows, GS would wear southern civil war uniforms. They ditched the military garb but kept their dizzying ability to switch instruments on each song. True multi-instrumentalists, this quartet's ability to back each other up is admirable. Be proud you're not truly a Beatle, cuz the south just might do it again.

Brandon Ross w/ Stomu Takeishi 5/30/14 Firehouse 12

Underattended second set at the Firehouse had Ross/Takeishi's show "For Living Lovers". With Ross on banjo, acoustic, and guitarron and Takeishi on acoustic bass, this show had a slow deliberate delivery. These songs sounded like screwed down outtakes from Ry Cooder's soundtrack to the movie Paris/Texas. Ross is a true chameleon, able to shred with the Jazz Passengers, funk it up with Harriet Tubman, or sparingly pluck a banjo until it is almost unrecognizable. This sleepy sound probably scared off most first set attendees. Takeishi's sit down acoustic bass looked like an acoustic guitar with the hole in the body situated south of the strings so that it looked like a bass with a cup holder.

Electronhic w/ Daniel Levin 5/14/14 Cafe 9

Jazz cellist Levin with drummer began this avant evening. Levin attacked his cello from all sides like a sumo wrestler. Speedy bowed fills gave way to cacaphony as if Levin were drowning a cat. His intensity of movement was mesmerizing, using  his bow to scrape the C-9 stage floor or "play" the metal post that holds up the cello. Alternating between beautiful sounds that most of us associate with the cello, and skronking noises that sounded like a squirrel trapped in a weber grill, Levin was truly in a zone. At one point, when the bow shredded, Levin stopped and pulled at the frayed hair with a look of disgust at the wimpy bow.
Electronhic was the musical outpouring of Bob Gorry's New Haven Improvisers Collective (NHIC). Bob on guitar and theremin, Jeff Cedrone on guitar and keys, Chapman stick ( a bass-type instrument that looked like a standup cribbage board with strings), drums and sax. They started the evening with a "cover" of an Alice Coltrane song. The improvising interplay between this crew was visible, a democratic swooping and diving of sounds that dissolved as soon as it came together. All of these musicians have chops, and it must be fun to let loose in a controllled uncontrolled setting. The highlight came when the sax player switched to Great Bass Recorder which looked like a table leg fixed with a hookah mouthpiece which gave a full bodied sound.

Dustin Wong w/ Child Actor 4/23/14 Bar

I seem to recall Child Actor being a "local" duo. Nice guy/girl harmonies and use of synths ( and synth percussion). The accent on the female in the group was decidedly not local.
 Dustin Wong had at least 10 looping pedals for his well-worn guitar. At one point, he had to stop and rearrange pedal order so as not to get confused. Looped guitar parts created moody or pop backdrops for the final song crescendo. I am always amazed at the linear thinking that must accompany a solitary looper. A competent guitarist, Wong was able to sound like five people on stage. A Stanley Jordanesque two handed slap technique ended one song, while a wordless vocal ended another. Wong is definitely original in his delivery.