It was Dietrich Gosser that got me out to see Bahamas earlier this year, which led to both the show and Bahamas’ excellent Bar Chords making my year-end best of lists, and it was Gosser who got me out again tonight. He opened tonight’s show along with Jeremiah Nelson who great on acoustic guitar, and even better when he played slide. I’ve been a fan of Gosser for a very long time, but I’d be hard-pressed to name a time when he sounded better than tonight. New songs and old favorites combined for a terrific set list. I’m delighted he still plays the haunting “From a Mercury Lynx” which I still remember hearing the very first time. Gosser has never been much of a believer in product, but the good news is that two of his best new songs will be released on a 7’ later this year. I usually see him at Mickey’s Tavern where solo singer-songwriters struggle to be heard over the crowd noise. High Noon crowds while infinitely better, aren’t always as silent as they were tonight. I knew most of the people up front, but I’d be willing to bet he gained a few new fans from the crowd who came to see Wisconsin’s newest hipster darling.
Field Report isn’t going to inspire the same sort of fandom from me that Bahamas did, but it was a good show and infinitely preferable to the staggeringly boring Bon Iver whose popularity still bewilders me and to whom I’ve seen Field Report compared. The lead singer, Milwaukeean Chris Porterfield, has an urgency to his singing that is hard to fake. I recognized a few of the songs from having listened to the new record streaming, especially the stand-out opening track, quiet miracle “Fergus Falls” which found its way into the encore tonight. I was going to mention how distracting his impossibly smooth looking chest was as viewed through a shirt that should have had one more button buttoned, but that sounded weird. So pretend I didn’t say it.
Dietrich Gosser
Cameron McGill & What Army
Field Report
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