Review – 40 Rocks Local Showcase

Fabulous supporter of local music and friend to a legion of cool Austinites, Jen Leduc celebrated her birthday with a showcase of great music for the second straight year at the Beauty Bar.  The lineup for “40 Rocks” included Bear Bones, Ideal Soul Mart (so you know I was gon’ be there), Stereo Is A Lie and Buttercup.

Bear Bones, the moniker for former Electric Touch bassist Ross Dubois, is a folksy singer-songwriter with a twist – his voice reminds me distantly of Chris Isaak, smooth and bright, and his melodies sometimes lean into 80s pop fodder.  The lyrics seem to lean either towards coming-of-age issues, or love stories.  The open, quiet backlot space suited Dubois, creating an intimate, VIP setting for him to tell his tales.  I had two favorites.  The first, called “Knockout,” was cute, and likely what many ladies hope they mean to that certain someone.  It’s an admission of admiration for uniqueness, and there’s almost a sense of guilt or agitation lingering on the dark chords.  The second was a cover of the Steve Earl song, “The Mountain.”  It was raw and honest, stark but beautiful.  I’m excited to see what the future holds for Dubois; I’m definitely a convert.

Ideal Soul Mart hit the stage next, and per usual, put on a stellar performance.  Stage banter involved lots of talk of Conan O’Brien’s last night on the air (which happened to be this night), and happy wishes and warm thanks for Jen.  Highlights included “You Belong To The City,” which allows Adam to snarl the word “back” with grit and energy, and both of the group’s newer tunes, “Relative Measure” and “You Gotta Learn Someday.”  The duo is always fun to see live because of their output – they actually care about what they’re doing, and it shows.  Their next scheduled performance is February 12 at Lamberts, so check ‘em out for yourself – if their multi-instrumental musical-chair-like act doesn’t impress you, nothing will. (And if you’ve somehow missed previous reviews of the guys’ work on this site, check here for my rundown of their self-titled 2009 release, #6 on my top 10 albums of the year.)

Stereo Is A Lie was on next, a group I had not seen since March ’09 at South by Southwest.  Still, the instant the first chords rolled off of their instruments, I remembered – they’re a big-sounding rock band, great for fans of Oasis and Jet.  Though all members are clearly skilled musicians, what makes this band is lead man Glynn Wedgewood.  He’s got that entrancing swagger and confidence that forces you to watch him and belies his small frame; he’s a giant when he’s performing.  Wedgewood’s aura coupled with the band’s big sound made the Beauty Bar stage feel far too tiny – this is a band that needs to perform in a stadium or at a festival, with room to echo and fans to dive into (as Wedgewood did anyway at the end of the group’s last song.)  Proof:  my beer glass vibrated in my hand from the swirling sounds leaping off of every surface.  You know that’s rock!  Bonus:  Davy Hamrick is not only a lively drummer, but he looks like Thom Yorke.

The last group to perform was Buttercup, and they had a pleasant Americana-meets-pop rock vibe.  They kicked off everything with a strange (inside joke?) rendition of the birthday song for Jen, who they then performed “Destiny” with.  Lead man Erik Sanden reminds me of a cross between Tom Petty and Ben Kweller, singing earnestly and connecting with the audience.  They have a fun energy, and I’m happy to report that they’re from San Antonio (hometown shout-out!)

From homemade cupcakes to back-alley entrances, the night was a joyous celebration of a wonderful supporter of Austin music and a great showcase of local talent.  Let’s do it again next year, shall we?

test Filed under Music, Reviews | Tags: Bear Bones, Beauty Bar, Buttercup, Ideal Soul Mart, Jen Leduc, Stereo Is A Lie | Comments (5)