Tuesday Night Music Review

Alrighty then! Here we are, once again back at the HoB for another thrilling evening of musical magic. Alas, the fashion show alluded to in my previous post was canceled at the last minute; no model pickup lines for Your Humble Blogger this eve. However, the audience was amply entertained during the cocktail hour by a performer picked by party sponsor Beta Records, Velveteen Robot.

Before the official artists started performing I enjoyed a nice conversation with Jesse Kongos of the South African band of brothers bearing that last name. He and his father, award-winning composer John Kongos, have been making the rounds at this year’s MUSEXPO and have proven to be congenial, thoughtful conversationalists. Kongos will soon be playing a gig in their adopted hometown of Phoenix with Australia’s The Red Paintings, who kicked off the conference with a bang on Sunday night.

Tonight’s opening act is Denmark’s Grand Avenue, who have quickly packed the previously empty floor in front of the Main Room stage. They have been another longtime favorite at “Passport Approved” and their winning combination of the sounds of Coldplay and U2 has already earned them quite a few fans worldwide…and their mesmerizing set tonight should only add to that multitude. They premiered a brand-new song this evening, provoking a rapturous response from assembled audience.

First act this evening in the Foundations Room is Ry Cuming, an Australian singer/songwriter/surfer who was initially discovered whilst strumming his six-string in the hallway of a hostel on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where he had journeyed in search of the “Endless Summer”esque “perfect wave.” Ry has since relocated to Los Angeles, where he has jammed with some of the leading lights of the local scene when not ensconced in the studio working on his forthcoming Jive Records debut disc. His intimate, solo acoustic guitar performance of the Jeff Buckley rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” serves as proof-positive that the label made the right call.

Two acts in and, once again, we’re running about 15 minutes late. A minor controversy has erupted over the HoB’s utilizing the dining room that had represented a shortcut from the back to the front of the Foundation Room; it’s now blocked off, forcing staff and other sundry individuals to take the long way ’round to venture to and fro betwixt the stages (and on a side note, I can’t even begin to tell you how long I’ve waited to toss the word “betwixt” into a sentence).

Now taking the stage in the Main Room are Winnipeg, Canada’s The Nods, a raucous, rabble-rousing and crowd-pleasing collective who have quickly won over an enthusiastic audience. During their second song the singer launched himself off the stage, vigorously pogoing on the dancefloor and inciting the punters into a rapturous response. Our lovely hostess here in the upstairs gallery, Kelly, is certainly enjoying their songs, swaying in time and even tossing in a bit of air-drumming during a particularly rocking segment of the set.

Side note: official MUSEXPO photog John Gannon, who’s been shooting fantastic photos at all four editions of the “United Nations of Music,” informs me that his Hyatt House room was visited by the spirit of the late, great Led Zeppelin drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham, who in the ’60s and ’70s made the infamous “Riot House” a home on several memorable West Coast tour swings. Gannon swears that, shortly after invoking Bonzo’s name, his state-of-the-art digital camera suddenly faded to black and refused to take any further photos…scary stuff, eh kids?

Next up in the Foundation Room is Frank Turner, a Bahrain-born, English-raised singer/songwriter who’s already made quite an impression at MUSEXPO 2008, both during Saturday’s “Passport Approved” broadcast and a well-received set in the wee mid-range hours of the morning (I’m taking other folks’ word for the latter, as I refuse to recognize this so-called “breakfast” phenomenon). His highly anticipated full set has attracted an overflow crowd to the intimate confines of the room, and they certainly haven’t been disappointed by his passionate performance.

Mexicolas have hit the main stage…and, for the benefit of longtime MUSEXPO readers, I’ll abstain from the South o’ the Border soft drink jokes. This Birmingham, England-bred trio elicits an impressive alt-rock sound, somewhat reminiscent of the recently re-formed Stone Temple Pilots with just a hint of Muse. Their audience-pleasing anthems have definitely garnered a great reaction from the assembled dignitaries.

Digression: Our black-clad beauty of a hostess here in the upstairs gallery, Kelly, has recently informed a certain blogger of an intense desire to meet-n-greet the lead singer of Story One, the English act who wowed the crowd last night here in the HoB. Ever helpful, said blogger has vowed to do the best he can to help her achieve that righteous goal. Hopefully, the guys are still in town and will be informed of this post–trust me, lads, it is well worth the response!

New Zealand’s Opshop is getting ready to set up…um, shop…in the Foundation Room. I’m gonna say it right now: having to cover a total of 36 bands-plus in four nights is severely straining the limits of the adjectives and adverbs in my vocabulary…but as if in answer to my prayer, the downstairs DJ has chosen to play Jimi Hendrix’s “Hey Joe.” Thus revivified by the splendid Jimi Stratocaster tone, I’m now ready to head upstairs for Opshop’s set. Their hypnotic, rhythmic songs have obviously gained the quintet a slew of new fans, judging by the crowd response.

Now taking the stage are hometown heroes Capra, who hail from the humble burg of Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles. Aided by a liberal guest list of local fans, they’ve attracted what’s probably the largest crowd of this year’s conference, which is going wild for their rockin’ funk concoctions. Lead guitarist Shelby has been rippin’ some awesome solos, generating squeals from the femme-dominated hordes packing the areas in front of the stage. All in all, the most vocal response for any MUSEXPO artist thus far…and well deserved, may I add: I predict big things in the future for this quintet who may be of tender years, but possess and project a stage presence far beyond their age. Their note-perfect version of Joe Cocker’s rendition of “With a Little Help from My Friends”–do I need to ID the original artist? I didn’t think so–is the perfect capper to an awesome performance.

Digression update: the ever-awesome Brandon Fuller, the glue that holds MUSEXPO together, has informed me that Story One are playing in Sin City tonight…but are due back in La La Land tomorrow. So, my beauteous host Kelly, there is still hope…if I have anything to say about it, at least!

LMFAO are due to close out this evening’s Foundation Room entertainment, but a rumor has been spreading that one of the dynamic duo may be too ill to perform…which is truly a shame, because their party-hearty tunes are the perfect soundtrack for just about any celebratory occasion. However, we’re happy to report that Sky Blu has taken the stage upon a medical gurney; a true trouper, he knows that the show must go on…and what a show it is, with no less a personage than Sat Bisla leading the cheers for an encore!

Finnish artists Poets of the Fall will be…erm, finishing… this evening’s musical selections. They’re a favorite of fellow Finn Steven Stewart, Nokia Music honcho who had naught but grand things to say about the band during a recent conversation. The sextet’s bracing, muscular rock & roll represents the perfect conclusion to this evening’s MUSEXPO entertainment, priming the crowd for another stellar lineup tomorrow night.

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