It seems like ages; though, actually it was roughly two weeks ago that I saw The Wood Brothers perform at The Parish. Since then, a lot has happened – namely the Saints making it to the Super Bowl and glorious citywide celebration that has ensued. But there was much celebration taking place that night in The Parish as well. The French Quarter was abuzz following the Saints’ defeat of Arizona Cardinals. When I walked into venue, the eerie yet intimate room was bustling and alive. Good cheer flowed, and the crowd filled in. By the time I got settled, the group of chairs which were placed in front of the stage (something I’d never seen before at The Parish), had already been taken. Excited, I huddled in as close as I possibly could. This would be the first time I caught The Wood Brothers in well over three years. It was also the folk duo’s first trip to the Crescent City since forming in 2005. At the end of the night, it turned out to be one of the largest crowds I’d ever been a part of in The Parish.

Tristen, a young singer-songwriter based out of Nashville, opened the evening with a fetching set of stripped down folk ditties. Joining the chanteuse was the equally impressive Larissa Maestro, who, in addition to providing backing vocals, rotated between cello and acoustic guitar accompaniments. Tristen, herself, also did her fair share of instrument swapping, alternating from acoustic guitar to ukulele to electric guitar throughout her set. The pair’s minimalist tragedies, swirling singalongs, and stirring sagas earned many enthusiastic responses. As for myself, I drew many similarities between their hard-time tales and those of fellow female folksters The Ditty Bops. I also saw quite a few similarities between Tristen and another young favorite of mine, Jessica Lea Mayfield. Yet, where Mayfield’s songs arise from dark, ruminative longings, Tristen’s melodies strike on a more immediate level. This night, subtle surges accentuated the aptly titled “Matchstick Murder” while sorrowful swells carried the pleas of “Battle of the Gods.”

Following a brief, albeit boisterous, intermission, the evening’s headliners took the stage. As I explained in an earlier post, since stumbling onto the The Wood Brothers one late summer night in 2006, I’ve maintained a keen interest in the group over the last few years. Though contemporary, unlike the recent wave of folk musicians, The Wood Brothers deliver a style of folk that remains true to genre’s roots, a sound born from the union of old-time hymns and backwoods blues. They opened their show at The Parish with the slow, locomotive roll of Steve Earle’s “Mystery Train pt II,” a track from their recent covers EP Up Above My Head. At various points throughout the night I found myself bewitched by Oliver’s coarse, emotive rasp. At others, I stood mesmerized as Chris’ fingers glided up and down the neck of his upright bass. During one bass solo, I swear that he became the instrument, his body twisting and contorting as bent notes and bounding rhythms echoed throughout the room. Likewise, Oliver’s guitar playing sizzled, at no point more so that on the blues-flavored kiss-off “Glad” when he snapped up out of his chair and delivered a snaky solo as he jigged across the stage. About midway through their set, the brothers drew a lively response from the crowd when they called upon their tourmates Tristen and Larissa to join onstage for a few numbers. The two song collaboration included the gospel-stomp “Pray Enough” and the spirited chorale “Up Above My Head,” both numbers well suited for a festive evening in the French Quarter. The Wood Brothers also performed a yet-to-be-released song (I believe) entitled “No Use for Time,” which featured Chris on vocals. Still, my favorite moment of the night came when they delivered a feisty version of the traditional, New Orleans favorite “L'il Liza Jane.” At one point during the show, Oliver announced, “This is the first time we've played together in New Orleans… and I’ve got to say that it’s everything we thought it would be and more.” Though more rowdy than one would typically expect at a Wood Brothers concert, as the crowd sang along to the tugging everyman anthem “Luckiest Man,” it was clear that they echoed those same sentiments.

CaptAbernathy
Remixing the Musical Landscape
Groovescapes 2010