It was nice to know when I was watching the Spring Standards perform most of their set acoustic during SXSW due to sound problems, that I would be seeing them again so soon. This time through town they were with New York’s Pigpen Theater Company, who apparently is a band that is also an acting company. They certainly have some fans, among them a pair of basement regulars that I’d seldom seen outside my house. After I expressed surprise to see them they said they wouldn’t miss Pigpen, and had traveled to Chicago to see them in the past. I told them they were in for a treat since I was there for the opening band who they weren’t familiar with. I was delighted that they loved them and look forward to seeing them in the basement, which they swear they are doing the next time through town.
I first met the Spring Standards when they toured with Ha Ha
Tonka, but I appreciate them more every time I see them. Three of the four sing (two guys and a girl),
which gives the band several different sounds, they do backing vocals on each
other’s songs and their harmonies are stunning.
Meanwhile the fourth member plays guitar, bass and pedal steel, all
while jumping around as much as possible; every show is an attempt to get a
non-blurry picture of Noah. It was another great set, with a few songs done off
mike and off stage where they show off how great their voices really are. I couldn’t stop smiling. My only complaint was that it was far too
short due to occupying the opening slot.
They were obviously enjoying touring with Pigpen, in telling us about
what we were in for, Heather tried to explain “I love my bandmates, but it’s
one thing to be on the road with three hunky guys, but in the next band…” “There’s only one,” one of the Jameses
interrupted. She laughed and went with
it, “That’s right, there’s only one, and you have to figure out which one it
is.”
As much I enjoyed the next band, I spent most of their set
doing exactly that. The lead singer, a
fair redhead with a stunning voice resembling David Gray’s, seemed too obvious
a choice. They certainly all had their
qualities, including good looks and excellent musicianship, but I eventually
decided on the multi-instrumentalist who looked a bit like Dylan McDermott,
with the bass player a close second (they are nothing but trouble you
know). They kept their Mumford-esque set
interesting by stealing a page from the Standards and doing a few songs
unamplified. They also invited Noah to
play pedal steel on a few songs, and Heather to sing, the finale was
Tonka-esque with almost everyone on stage.
I told Noah he should play on all their songs, to which he responded,
“No more bands.” He’d been on tour for
most of the last two months and while it may have been exhausting for him, it
certainly made me happy to see him so much.
Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long to have them in the basement.
The Spring Standards
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