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BlflS C88TH10 ft
THE PICK-UPS,
SONDRE LERCHE
Wednesday, April 27
Classic Center Theatre
Sondre Lerche, the pale young man
from Norway, Is opening for EMs
Costello, and sounding like, of ail
people, a wistful Burt Bacharach. Lerche
looks lonely on the big Classic Center
Theatre stage in Iron! of Bvis'equip
ment He strums on a large, golden,
hoitow-bodied guitar and launches into
"Track You Down,* a song he based on
a vivid nightmare taking Ns fear and
channeling it into foOcy pop Lerche
brings the tempo down for material from
his first album and an a cappeiia version
of ‘Moonlight Becomes You," oft-per*
Mersey-Sippi,* biending rockabilly and
Delta blues. Soon Costello spends
some time at the keyboards tor
■Running Out 01 Foots’ a classic smoky
nightclub torch song, before Kinder
Murder" and the hallmark *Y&tching
The Detectives." Here the set Is at Its
highest point and sadly begins to
descend. It soon becomes dear that
something about the chemistry (or lack
thereof) ol the Pick-Ups makes them
dearly not the Attractions or even the
imposters, not even a pale comparison.
Not even the introduction ol los Lobos
. Quitarist David Hidalgo can lift this very
straight backing arrangement and the
show starts to sink like a helium balloon
tied to a lead anchor.
Costello* new material, oft the
Delivery Man album, just isnl coping
under the weight and tor someone who
was so very exdted to see Costello. I
despair with boredom. The insertion ol
throat, listening to three guys on a stage
overflowing with gear perform slowty
evolving improv beauty. I donl do
drugs, but my woozy illness haze has
kind ol made me understand why peo0e
who're into this kind ol music do.
Keith Fullerton Whitman. Greg
Davis and Ben Vida (AKA Bird Show)
are kind enough to visit our state and
share their ample talents in a genre that
doesnl exactly pack venues. 1 count 21
in attendance ol the stow* midpoint,
and at six buds a head, you know these
guys arenl in it tor cold hard cash.
Following a brie! found-sound-by-way-
of-Merzbow set by Atlanta* Magidcada,
the three Kranky Records artists sit
Indian-style amid a vanful of gear and
proceed to ebb and flow, jerk and sway
through 90 minutes ol mostly com
puter- and acoustic-derived drone.
Vida handles the majority ot the
occasional vocals, which range from
David Hidalgo and Elvis Costello
formed by Bing Crosby. As lerche
relaxes into his set, he starts to fill the
stage with hts presence, but his high-
toned vocals have shone all the way. For
his last song (on his last night of this
tour) Lerche finishes with his hit "Two
way Monologue,’ a melodic folk-pop
chart topper with the kind of catchy
hooks that could easily have been sung
by the likes ol Ben Gibbard. For a one-
man opener. Lerche has equipped him
self well and all indications are*
promising.
On comes Elvis Costello in a stylish
dark-blue three-piece suit to a round ol
standing applause from the packed
house as he parades across the stage
and commences a solo medley ol
‘Radio Sweetheart* and Van Morrison*
"Jackie Wilson Said." Costello is joined
by his rhythm section Pete Thomas
(bass) and Dave Faragher (drums) and
together they launch into classic
Costelto-styie, 70s New Wave/ punk
with those signature fast-strummed,
melodic guitar chords. Next the band
cruises into a ballad bom of the time
when Costello stopped rocking and dis
covered soul and smooth pop. This
erupts into what Costello calls "a little
the jaunty "Monkey Man* provides
some relief, but it too is drawn into the
sucking mire of the dull arrangement
that surrounds il I long to hear more
classic Elvis, but after an hour of waiting
I am pained to stay in my seat and leave.
The show had its shining iiigh points,
but they were lew and tar between; while
the very middle-aged audience was in
raptures, I felt as if I were watching a
grand talent unceremoniously compro
mise himself.
BenGerrard
KHTH FULLERTON
WIVT1IMN, GREG
D/MS & BAD SHOW
Friday. April 22
Lenny’s, Atlanta
There* nothing like a drone show
on a Friday night to remind me what a
music geek I am. I start off my weekend
in a seedy hole called Lenny* in down
town Atlanta, sitting on a metal folding
chair with the onset of whal would end
up being a week-long grapple with strep
soil emcting to nearly frenzied chanting
Davis primarily sticks to acoustic guitar
and Mac laptop, while Whitman sifts
through several instruments IVe never
seen, likely inspired by the vintage
instruments borrowed from Harvard fea
tured on his forthcoming album
Multiples. Being quite tamiliar with all
these artists’ material. I was surprised to
hear more snippets of Bird Show*-
exceiient Green Memo rising to the sur
face than overtly recognizable portions
ol the other two* work. Whitman in par
ticular has already established himseif
as a master ot drone and many other
electronic styles, but sadly, there Is no
electric guitar present tonight as on his
PtiythmuQhs.
There are three distinct pieces in the
set. but this Is just one lulling trip with
only the merest ol pauses The beauty ol
drone Is it "middtenea.* as there is no
standard beginning or cathartic conclu
sion book ending the action. Whitman,
Davis and Vida meander marvelously
while never straying from the heart ol
drone. All build, no release. And it* all
In the journey anyway, even il only 21
people join in.
Michael Wehunt
30 FLAGPOLE.COM -MAY 11, 2005
CHRIS McKAY
