What do you get when you send San Diego natives who have cited Nick Cave as one of their biggest influences out on a co-headlining tour with a group known back home in New Jersey for their folk rock style that includes finger picking banjos and fiddles? A little bit of something for everyone and a show that’s not likely to be forgotten any time soon.
When it came time for River City Extension to take the stage, those of us unfamiliar with the band watched in amazement as the performers filed in. One, two, three, four, five…six…seven…eight… Eight? Eight band members? I have to admit, my initial reaction to seeing that many people cram themselves on stage was an eyeroll and a sigh. Sure, the Wu Tang Clan can pull off eight people on stage, or maybe a band who has recently added a full horn section, but we were looking at… Well what were we looking at? Guitars, drums, trumpets, mandolins, melophones, banjos, piano, and a violin.
They opened their set quietly, band leader Joe Michelini’s crooning in a manner reminiscent of Springsteen, and I began to worry. We were going to have to endure a chaotic set, riddled with too many instruments and Jersey clichés? Plain and simple: no.
These eight people, Michelini (guitar, vocals), Mike Costaney (drums, percussion), Nick Cucci (guitars, vocals), Dan Melius (trumpet, melophone, mandolin, vocals), Patrick O’Brien (piano, organ), James Ramirez (bass, banjo), Nicole Scorsone (violin, vocals), Samantha Tacon (vocals, banjo) and Benjamin Henderson (bass), came together to weave magic over the crowd. Sometimes they delivered a foot-stomping, hand-clapping, hooting and hollering roar and other times a much more introspective and romantic lilting sound.
River City Extension is a band who is a little bit country, a little bit pop, a little bit Phil Spector, a lot rock n’ roll. Whether finger plucking or sawing the bow, Scorsone plays her violin with ferocious feeling while Melius, regardless of what instrument he’s on, gives the sense of being the happiest musician on the planet every moment he’s on stage. Michelini and Tacon’s voices blend wonderfully above the crescendo of instruments. Closing out their set, the entire entourage heads off stage for a special acapella/percussion finale right smack in the middle of the crowd. The group’s second album Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger is available now.
Co-headlining with River City Extension are The Drowning Men. I first saw The Drowning Men earlier this spring when they opened for Lucero and have never been able to find the right words to describe them. Having seen them twice this past weekend, I find myself still struggling. I’m sure you could poll any audience and come up with at least fifteen different answers to the question, “Who do they sound like?” They, themselves, would tell you influences lie heavy in Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. I overheard someone at the show throw out a Lemonheads comparison and though it’s not really spot on, I can see the similarities. One thing is for sure, no matter who you, personally, compare them to, they sound damn good.
Front man Nato Bardeen’s voice soars across the room with a unique tone that in itself is difficult to describe but bears an emotional intensity that is impossible to ignore. Along with with his voice, Bardeen can also be found playing the piano, mandolin, or melodica. Rory Dolan brings the force of the band to the forefront with his heart-thumping drum beats while bandmates James Smith (guitar), Gabe Messer (piano/organ) and Todd Eisenkerch (bass) dive in to carry the audience on their magical musical tour of Irish folk meets punk meets alternative rock.
The Drowning Men’s newest album All of the Unknown is set for release via Flogging Molly’s label (who signed them after touring with The Drowning Men in 2011), Borstal Beat Records, July 17th.
I would be remiss if I finished this review without giving an enthusiastic nod to Benjamin Henderson. While touring with River City Extension as their bass player, he’s been opening some of the shows solo. His set at the Blank Club in San Jose Sunday evening was a special affair as he was back in his home town the night of his cd release.
Both nights I saw him perform I was blown away by his song writing, his style, and the surprising quality of his voice which at times rises in a wonderful falsetto and other times belts across a hammering guitar with a deep, gritty force. I picked up his new release, Fortunes, at The Blank Club and somehow it continues making its way back to my CD player day after day.
