Old Canes | Dust Congress | Parata | Glen Farris (Rubber Gloves)
Old Canes features Appleseed Cast frontman Chris Crisci playing some emo-tinged folk music with an overzealous strumming style that recalls Bob Mould's solo career at its worst. The real highlight tonight is local band Dust Congress, a good live act to counter all of the neo-folk gimmicks from crowd participation ("Here, have a triangle") to the overabundance of animal costumes. Didn't Animal Collective more than obviously corner the market on all of the animal imagery shit? The lone Dust Congress gimmick is that its main songwriter has taken the challenge of playing the percussion himself, utilizing a bass-drum and hi-hat while he plays guitar, accordion or banjo simultaneously with the kit. So the gimmick is the added actual substance, somewhat of a rarity lately. If his songs were God-awful (they aren't) then I probably wouldn't mention any of this. I'm just surprised that someone who has such a daunting stage-setup can actually take the time to write nuanced and memorable folk songs on top of everything else. Marimba, trumpet and upright bass (sometimes played by Baptist Generals' bassist Ryan Williams) all make appearances and are brilliantly understated enough to add something to the songs without overshadowing anything. Glen Farris is one of the Spune Productions people that is bringing you the Wall of Sound Festival and is also late of Current Leaves, who are playing one last show opening up for Midlake as part of a pre-party for the festival later this month. Glen's music sounds pretty different from his work in Current Leaves, there is a definite lack of 60's jangle-folk worship, and the songs sound more like traditional folk, save for the way the vocals are layered. I don't know much about Parata other than that they seem to be very different from all of the other acts tonight.

Also wanted to mention that Strawberry Fields will be doing Short Attention Span Theater tonight at Hailey's, showcasing Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job, which might just be the best show on television right now.

that band really blows, like TOTALLY REALLY LIKE BLOWS OMG FOR REAL.

well ... Nick Congress is pretty Jeff Magnum at times, but in a quality way, not in an annoying Decembrists way. Plus he really doesn't always sound like Mangum.

Plus, I mean .... it's not like Mangum is still making music, nor did he ever make more than two albums total. That retard.

nah, MATAS is more like amateur hour

nigga, please

MATAS is WAY more NMH than Dust Congress.

WAY more.

Parata was great last night. They used to be called Keating.

dust congress was pretty good, but that band Parrata really blow...like really. didn't they used to go by a different name?

All of the bands were really great at RGRS last night.

Jeff Mangum and Thom Yorke's love child

Dust Congress = Neutral Milk Hotel.

am I the only 1?

So what's wrong with crowd participation again?

There is nothing sad about tonight.
Those are three amazing bands. Best ones of the night anyway. Better off this way.

yup, no old canes...

and ryan won't be playing with dust congress. ):

it's a sad night. but short attention span will make it all better.

ditto hear ye! Dust Congress!

dust congress is excellent

more x girlfriends gone to seed (or pot?)

That's a cool picture.

Tonight will be great with Parata, Dust Congress and Glen Farris. Yes.

they cancelled their show at Double-Wide tomorrow.

we will still have everything else...

i'm pretty sure that appleseed cast dude canceled.