As you can see by the video above Grace is in full on “performer” mode on quite a few songs in the set. This is, of course, a good thing. The crowd reacts well to Grace being out front. As she has said herself the addition of Benny and Cat allows her to concentrate more on delivering a great vocal performance since she doesn’t always have to have an instrument in her hand. Both show were stellar performances from all involved. I’m really digging Benny’s fills especially on the slower songs where his addition to the mix really helps. As someone else pointed out harmony vocals are in evidence in a way they haven’t been before. Cat’s high harmony on “Apologies” is especially sweet and Scott, most likely due to the extended Blues and Lasers runs earlier in the year, is now adding a nice second lower harmony to the mix on many tunes, “Tiny Light” being the most recent example. That said, I’ve never personally been a fan of the new harmonies on “Stop The Bus” – I find them distracting.
Something I hadn’t considered before was this – is this now a “girl band”? Grace and Cat are certainly up front but with three guys on stage the balance is just right. As Grace says “We’ve got girls in the band but we’re not a girl band. I don’t want it to look like we’re trying to do the ‘girl’ thing but it’s clearly a part of it. We just want to rock out first.”
As I mentioned before the band really seems to be enjoying themselves. I sense that they’re all feeling good about the new record and their own interpersonal relationships. This run with Brett Dennen is short enough to be manageable but long enough to allow them to experiment. One quibble, while the atmospheric echo on “White Rabbit” is all in the name of groovy it was so over the top in NYC as to almost ruin the ending of the song for me. The new stuff is easy to absorb, especially “Goodbye Kiss”, “Oasis” and “Tiny Light” – all of which seem right in the GPN wheelhouse. All in all, the band has kicked it up a notch both in music and visual performance. Don’t miss your chance to catch them on the road.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, KC. Nice review and great vid. Pimped it on FB.
The show at the House of Blues was really really quite good too.. They played so many new songs and they all fit right into the other songs and Grace is always amazing. They don’t get enough credit for being as good as they are!
I hope that fame finds this band. I brought two friends to the NY show and they never heard of the band. They were hooked after the show though.
Spot on review Mojo as usual. Hope you enjoyed your return to Boston. I think the new look and sound is definitely going to pay dividends. Had to be amazed at 2 die-hards next to me at the edge of the stage at HOB asking, sometimes pleading, for the old stuff and looking extremely disappointed at what they were seeing and hearing. They were a definite minority for sure.
Wally C.
A few other random thoughts.
I shouldn’t have been shocked (but I was) by the almost drop dead silence during the acapella part of NBTW . We’re talking a club in NYC with over 1,500 people in it. Sure, a yelp or two rang out but overall – quiet.
It’s nice sometimes to move around and observe things. I make it a habit to scan the crowd and see who is singing along. Every show it’s more and more and – it’s to more and more songs. Ah, Mary, Big White Gate, NBTW and recently Medicine are bringing in the crowd participation.
There was no “after party” at the Middle East in Cambridge after the Boston show. Misunderstandings all the way around.
Grace asked everyone to “shake it” during Sweet Hands and they did, all the way to the back of the theater – project it sister!
Scott wanted to dispel the notion that Batson simply turned on the tape machine and sat down while the band played. “He produced us”, Scott told me, “but subtly. This record sounds like we sound.”
The HOB staff in Boston must have been given “pleasant training”. Everyone was really nice from bouncers to bartenders. I did not expect that.
Thursday nights meal before the show was the best I’ve had in a long time. Yes, it’s all about me. Oleana Restaurant.
A beer at Terminal 5 costs $7.00 – welcome to New York baby.
Cortez – You do a great job on this website!!! This is the only band I follow on the web and it is because the website is so enjoyable.
Yes, always a great job and this a great review. Since it’s all about kc, what did he have at the Oleana? I would have: Deviled Eggs with Tuna & Black Olives, Apple & Cashew Crumb, and Ricotta & Bread Dumplings with Red Wine, Porcini & Black Kale. Is that too much food?
Sorry everyone for posting the AP link. Sux that they advertised both Grace & Brett being there … Lawsuit? Great to see you as always Killa … and everyone else. Would have been at The Foundation room … But my traveling companion went first … Gave Grace a bottle of tequilla and was seen doing it. Doh! “We’re going to drink it … But not till NYE!” “I don’t care … I’ll have to ask you ….”
But what a show! Was the best I’ve ever seen … Until the next night!
Glad you got the silence in NYC MOJO……I had the one yahoo in Boston who had to yell and scream at the most inappropriate times….and it was right in my ear!!!
Still didnt deter me from enjoying this one!!!
I was always skeptical of the supposed aftershow…..just could not see how the band would fit that in given the late ending of the HOB show……I had a better time driving Steve, Laura nad Keri back to the Redline to get their cars!!
The Boston show was fantastic . . had been a long drought and I couldn’t have asked for any better set list for my fix. Was so pleased to get 6 new and newest songs.
Had a four man “air band ” of 20-somethings to my right for most of the show . . other than bouncing into me a few times they were fine and their enthusiasm was fun to see. The back bend one did onStop the Bus was pretty awesome actually
Was also very surprised at the laid back staff attitude at the HOB . . certainly not the norm . . beer wasn’t too far off NYC – a Sam Adams was $6.50.