225BatonRouge.com - Blogs

Judging from the large crowd at the Shaw Center last Friday, the Art Melt was a smashing success. Hors d’oeuvres were devoured, drinks imbibed, crafts perused and local arts organization were, hopefully, learned about. The next step in the city’s cultural development is getting these kinds of crowds to start attending art events themselves and to buy some art.

High art was well attended at the Red Star when Memphis’ Giant Bear took the stage. Their recorded work comes from a recipe of bluegrass and folk, but live it’s an alt-country, soul, art-rock casserole. Cellist and lead singer Jana Misener has the vocal pipes and stage presence to lead this ragged troupe through a number of spirited, cello-heavy numbers. It’s hard to keep up when you have a band this big, but since super-sizing has seemed to catch on in the indie world (Margaret and the Nuclear So-And-So’s almost needed their own circus tent when they opened for Film School a while back) I think we will see more and more of this. It bodes well for the errant string player and euphonium master looking for paying gigs, but what it holds for the music-going public, who knows. If it really gets out of hand, I hold The Arcade Fire squarely responsible.

We had none of the wretched excess, at least in the personnel department, at the Spanish Moon Saturday night. I missed the first band on the bill, but did catch the glam trash set by newcomers Club of the Sons. This scrappy two-piece (a 2/3 reduction of Macrosick) comprised of Adam LaClave’s enigmatic glam costuming and soaring vocals and Jonathon “Bface” Allen’s funky bass and electronics, harkens back to the glory days of Wax Trax’s dominance of the dance market, mixing electronic dance rhythms with rock menace and personality. It sent me and my crew into the memory banks for a good comparison. Blancmange? Real Life? Does Nitzer Ebb ring a bell? Anyway, I think the band has made an interesting start, especially with LaClave’s makeup and fur jacket dressing things up on stage for a change, taking the passion with which 80s retro is implausibly still embraced by the kids, and trying to make something fresh out of it.

It was my first time witnessing local headliners Reception is Suspected, but it will definitely not be the last. “Revenge of the Nerds” comments were in abundance when they hit the stage in awkward business attire, but all associations like that dissipated with the first sub-harmonic blast from Noah Danos’ bank of mad-scientist gear. Percussionist Sam Anselmo looks to be a cross between a NASA employee and Animal from The Muppets when he attacks his electronic drum kit, but under all the synth and associations, it’s all about the rock. Reception is Suspected has some of the late Tubeway Army trappings that many a synth-led band have (and that’s not a bad thing) but no embarrassing Simon LeBon moments of extreme cheese making gumming up the works. Its good, powerful, fun stuff, and the greater good is always served when people start thinking outside the standard indie rock box.

POWER UP FOR LIFT-OFF

Wednesday, July 19: The Flairs are at North Gate Tavern. The Black Box is at Spanish Moon. Stretch Arm Strong, The Quartering, Despite the Fall, In Fear of the Fall, and Ghosts in the Lowlights will be gingerly watching their step at the Darkroom

Thursday, July 20: Soulful indie rock piano-man Joel Mercado-See pours his heart out at the Red Star, Phil Brady’s 20th Anniversary Blues jam will kick off at 8 p.m. featuring Oscar Davis, Larry Garner, Luther Kent, James Johnson, Lil’ Ray Neal and more.

Friday, July 21: Meriwether does two acoustic sets (the early one is all ages) at the Caterie. Lucid is at X-treme Daquiris. The Terms, Dash Rip Rock, Spoonfed Tribe and We Landed on the Moon! @ StudioLive at the Varsity. Bensin and Direwood are at North Gate Tavern. Glory Glory, Cities Killed Starlight and Viverly are at the Darkroom. Cosmic Sweat Society is at Chelsea’s. Danava and Snow Foxxes will rock the Spanish Moon.

Saturday, July 22: The Useful Knots and High Five Able are at Chelsea’s. Slobot is slated to charm the pants right off you at Spanish Moon, with Wizards of Boat and Wilderness Pangs in tow. Southerly, Brass Bed and The Highway Kind are up at North Gate Tavern. Meriwether repeats Friday night’s gig, plugged in this time, at the Caterie. Click’s hosts Underlyned and Mama’s Big Gun. Silence of the Orphan Moon rock it up at X-treme Daiquiris.

Monday, July 24: T.J. Black and the Black Sound Parade are making a habit of themselves on Monday nights at Chelsea’s.

Tuesday, July 25: The Southern Takeover tour lands at the Darkroom with Will To Live, Strength for a Reason, Chose Your Weapon plus local acts. The Cam Pyle Band is a Click’s.

Want more suggestions for live music this weekend? Click here.