On Friday, May 14th I made my way down to New Haven's workhorse of a venue,
Cafe Nine, to catch the first night of
Elm City PopFest. Having attended the first Elm City PopFest this Fall I held high hopes for the evening.
(photo by Bob Rock)
After an initial difficulty finding parking nearby "the Nine" (a sure sign of solid attendance), I arrived just in time to miss the first song by openers,
The Wee Bees. Although this was only their third show as a band, the quintet seemed to lock in relatively well on stage together; there were no obvious flubs or flaws that distracted the audience from the songs. While I wholeheartedly agree with some previous descriptions of the band's music as "’80s- and ’90s-inspired shoegaze-meets-jangle pop," I'd also argue that the Wee Bees also possessed a slight jazz influence, especially the singer/rhythm guitarist, who repeatedly changed guitar tunings throughout the set. Although the changes definitely helped vary the band's sound, the tuning breaks themselves affected the overall flow of the set. During such interludes other Wee Bees began to tell jokes to fill in the time, which I feel initially worked well to break the ice a bit with the crowd. By the fourth tuning/joke break though it became more of a distraction than anything. Despite the interruptions, the Wee Bees even mix of mellow and upbeat indie pop was a decidedly good way to open the night and the festival.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Next up on the night's billing was singer/songwriter
Steven Deal. Deal's brand of punky power pop has long been lauded in local press and I was excited that I finally got to catch one of his shows. In addition his backing band included some pretty accomplished local musicians in guitarist Chris Cretella (Goose Lane) and drummer Dave Parmelee (The Vultures, Atrina). From the get-go though, it seemed the crowd was not as excited as I was. Although each song and performance was solid through and through, Steven Deal & co. repeatedly failed to connect with the audience at large who at times seemed overwhelmed by the band's volume and velocity. To me the lack of response by the crowd was unfortunate, as the band was putting a lot of energy into the performance especially Deal who, at one point, literally had to take a breather before diving into the next song. After a particularly energetic take on Deal's "Caitlin's Crying," which he described as being written at the Cafe Nine bar "twenty years ago," the band launched into a great cover of The Damned's "New Rose,' which also went over everyone's head. It seems to me that on another night and another billing, Deal would have went over much better.
(photo by Bob Rock)
After a brief equipment change, the UK's much anticipated
Veronica Falls took the stage. Almost instantly, Cafe Nine was packed, with a significant crowd (for Cafe Nine) gathered near the stage to see the band's first U.S. show. Where the Wee Bees were a bit mellow at times, and Steven Deal a bit hyper-charged, Veronica Falls relied heavily upon texture as well as a relentlessly driving beat. Somewhere in between the chords of non-stop guitar strumming and infinite floor tom, melody began to sneak out, usually led by a mix of male and female vocals from all four members.
(photo by Bob Rock)
(photo by Bob Rock)
Although they definitely weren't hit-you-over-the-head power pop, with each chorus and melodic lift the songs slowly became hummable, working their way into your subconscious whether you liked it or not. Bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine immediately sprang to mind, although the band was a bit more thrashy than all three. There was a palpable energy throughout, especially in the drums which seemed to get louder and more driving with each song. In terms of stage presence, the band seemed slightly awkward, even nervous at times (which makes sense given it was their first show stateside) although this didn't seem to impede upon their performance. By the end of their set, the band finally seemed to lock in, even managing a few smiles. The crowd reaction to the band was strong, with several audience members even requesting an encore, although to no success. Overall, Veronica Falls impressed me, so much so that I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to check out some great new music from the British Isles.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Last but not least on Elm City PopFest's opening night was NYC's
Boy Genius. Somewhat of an honorary New Haven band due to their frequent appearances in the Elm City as of late, Boy Genius did not disappoint. Even from the beginning, the band was on fire, ripping through their set of catchy melodic pop tunes with abandon. The band seemed particularly happy to have guitarist Mr. Ray Neal (formerly of Miracle Legion, a.k.a., one of the band's biggest influences) joining Boy Genius for their set, which without a doubt directly impacted the band's stage presence and energy. Even as the crowd dwindled slightly due to the late hour (the band didn't hit the stage until after 12:30), the quintet (including Neal) only seemed to strengthen in intensity. After a series of rockers, the band ended their set with a particularly long but particularly awesome jam (dedicated to one Jason Devin), thus sealing the first night of Elm City PopFest with a bang.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Despite some initial ups and downs, Elm City PopFest's first night ended strongly and, overall, was a resounding success.
Be sure and catch the
Elm City PopFest follow up show tomorrow night (May 26th) at
Cafe Nine!
