I got to Local 506 just a few minutes before the advertised 9 p.m. showtime, and was immediately taken aback at the length of the line in front of the venue. I was excited to see so many folks out for a show on a weeknight, but it quickly became apparent that the vast majority of the crowd was attending for a class assignment. Thus began one of the most interesting and strange showgoing experiences I’ve ever had.
Locals Ryan Gustafson and Some Army opened the show and were a perfect fit. Gustafson’s quiet acoustic tunes made for an excellent starter, while Some Army picked up the pace with a more rock ‘n’ roll sound speckled with a few rootsy elements.
All of the bands cracked all kinds of extra credit jokes, and the fellows of Poor Moon shared some of their own strange school experiences. The students often seemed at a loss as to what to do with themselves — applause was quick and polite, and hoots and hollers were far and few between.
Poor Moon flowed through its set of warm pop-tinged tunes, pulling from its self-titled debut record and its earlier EP Illusion. Band members moved around among a variety of instruments, from standard electric guitars to an electric vibraphone and a washboard. Each tune shone in its own right, and for such a small space, the band had a big, well-rounded sound.
The music and artists themselves were fantastic, but it was kind of unsettling to be in a crowd that isn’t so actively involved in local music goings-on — there were multiple people who didn’t even know the club existed. As odd as it seemed, there’s no doubt it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience — at least, I kind of hope it was.
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