Musical Redemption

Last night we had the pleasure of seeing two amazing bands live. First, The Gomorran Social Aid and Pleasure Club came in hollerin' and stompin' with brass instruments blazing, wearing matching fancified business suits with silk-screened pictures of guns and rockets on the pant cuffs and silk hankies and fringe sewn on the sleeves, and proceeded to give a show that felt more like a tent revival than a concert. Despite the small-ish crowd, the Gomorrans showered us with a glorious blend of New Orleans jazz, banjo-pickin' roots, and klezmer-ish improvisation that was nothing short of miraculous to witness. I'm always a huge fan of unabashed theatricality, and the Gomorrans did not disappoint. This sublime picture of them was taken by the talented and charming Michael Garlington.


No less exciting was Or, The Whale, a seven-member outfit that absolutely shook the venue. The swelling harmonies and pedal steel made me shiver with delight. And they had not one, but two tambourines! This portrait of the band was also taken by our lovely Garlington. You should absolutely look up his work if you've never seen it, you can find him on Flickr as well.


Garlington is, in fact, the very same photographer who is planning to do a photo shoot with Baby Seal Club next weekend, much to our delight. I'm working feverishly on the costuming now...

I learn so much with every band I see playing out - rapport and charisma is more than half the battle, and both of these bands had it in spades. You can tell when a band really loves to play together, and really loves the music they play, and that's when the magic happens.