NYC's The Leader Kicks Off Tour In Chapel Hill

For a band that seeks alternative spots to perform, The Cave seemed an appropriate choice. With no more than 15 people present, the band received a disappointing turnout yet a friendly, enthusiastic welcome as it began its cross-country tour.

Studying the bison-painted walls in the tiny, dimly lit venue, it was easy to be skeptical of this drum and bass duo dressed in vintage prom attire. The classically trained percussionist Lazzara in a three-piece suit and DeLano in a prom dress and combat boots were a strange sight to find in the smoky bar.

A self-described country-punk band that formed four years ago, it seems no small task that these two genres could be fused by this costumed pair. However, all skepticism soon diminished from the audience as they seemed helplessly drawn into the melodic vocals and catchy beats.

Bassist DeLano boasted a low, sometimes raw voice that ignored the constraints of the bar's terrible acoustics. Percussionist Lazzara was often monotone and sometimes even flat, yet he complimented DeLano perfectly. Their music, often quick and light, could turn on a dime. Powerful transitions to a much heavier tone could pull any listener out of his reverie.

Lazzara's musical background is diverse, much like the band itself. He has played with Patti Smith and Carol Channing, worked with the New York City Opera and, most recently, Ben Folds Five drummer Darren Jessee.

DeLano, a visual artist and art curator in New York City, is also a pop-standards stylist who plays with her jazz quartet in restaurants and clubs throughout New York -- yet another element that adds to the band's eclectic sound.

For a band of such simple components, The Leader was extremely complex at its Monday night show, even surprisingly so, as the musicians utilized their most powerful instrument, voice.

The band has recorded and performed with various instrument accompaniments, from organ, piano, trumpet and accordion to a jaw harp. But drum and bass still remain the backbone of the band.

DeLano switched to electric guitar during during the gig for a few of the more country-influenced songs. And for those of you who cringe at the mention of country music, The Leader might make you reconsider.

DeLano's simple chord progressions and the up-tempo beat of the songs illustrated that, in the right hands, punk and country can be found on the same stage.

Despite the range of instruments on their recordings, if you catch them on tour, drums, bass and the intertwining vocals of Lazzara and DeLano are all you will hear due to budget restraints. But this lack of variance is not disappointing.

The Leader's lyrics were everything you might want them to be -- smart and catchy. "We accept the ties that bind and question harmony," they crooned to the tiny audience. Their two-part harmony and stacked lyrics were addictive.

From politics to love to nonconformity, they explored vast amounts of conceptual territory in a multitude of genres.

Though The Leader clearly has strong punk influences, it is neither animal, mineral nor vegetable. Each song has its own identity, its own personality and is as eclectic -- crossing just as many genres -- as the song before.

And as it breaks out of its New York shell, the band makes it clear that it won't conform to any category. Instead, The Leader seems content to manufacture its own.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.