The show was at Off Broadway this super intimate music venue that has all eyes on you as you stumble past the bands upon entering. I raced there directly from work, as the rest of my party had already indulged in a fiesta of sorts on Cherokee street and then biked over to the music...because they're green like that.
The opening band was Union Tree Review. Great little band with a violinist and a trumpeter in tow...sold! Said trumpeter was my awakening...he was wearing jean shorts...ironically. And that's when I realized everyone surrounding me was infinitely cooler than I was in my loafers and trouser jeans (did I mention I came straight from work?).
No matter, I was enjoying their groove despite the serious downtime in between songs (side note, this is where you fill dead air with witty banter).
And then...
The Spring Standards graced the stage and upon just a few bars I was in luuuuurve! People, seriously get out there and listen to their stuff. They each play at least a bazillion instruments, sometimes all at once, and the best part is they actually look like they are genuinely having a pretty kickin' time and indeed enjoy each other's company even after co-habitating in a rather groovy looking little van.
There we were, front and center, my friends bouncing around and singing every lyric, myself feeling a smidge inadequate and a teensy bit rude for not knowing a single word.
At one point they came down from the stage, out into the crowd, to do an acoustic number with amazingly tight harmonies. As it turns out all their panache on stage was equally as stunning as this moment, sans the bells and whistle, just hearing all their voices (save the drummer) dynamically intermingle.
And then...
something glorious happened. To end the show they invited all the musicians up to the stage for an epic jam session that had everyone in the crowd moving. At first, there were just a few people dancing in respectable parameters, but it spread like wildfire in the most organic and genuine way until everyone was dancing with everyone...
all the hipsters...and me. Kumbaya friends...t'was a great show!
