A ferocious rain storm soaked pant cuffs and blew apart three dollar umbrellas as fans hurried into the sold out Woods show at Bowery Ballroom last Friday night.
This was the final night of a three week Woods tour in support of the band’s great new record With Light and With Love. The performance was noticeably tighter than the one TSR saw in Richmond, VA on night three of the tour. New bassist Chuck van Dyck appears to have settled in and the boisterous and supportive hometown audience seemed to encourage and embolden the band‘s spirit.
I stood up front, stage left near a pair of big Woods fans from Italy. The set list was the same as it was for earlier dates on the tour. The only wild card was the night’s final tune, a wonderful rendition of Be All Be Easy.
Frankie Cosmos opened the evening, going on at 9 PM sharp. The band (fronted by Greta Kline) opened with Buses Splash With Rain, appropriate given what was happening outside. There was a great version of Fireman, too.
The set was short but solid, ending with Ronnie Ronaldo! off last year’s Frankie Cosmos Bandcamp release im sorry im high lets go. Before playing Boogie from the same collection, Kline encouraged people to dance. She also told a joke. “How do you make Kleenex dance? Put some boogie into it,” said Kline.
A ticket bought in advance via Ticketshyster cost $16.90. Tecate tallboys poured into a plastic cup were eight bucks. Among those on hand for this show were Jonathan Rado, Alex “Gator” Steinberg and Jerome from New Jersey. Jerome is the guy who took public transit to Woodsist Fest last year all the way from San Francisco. After the show, Jerome’s only complaint about the night was that it ended too soon.
Here’s the set list:
1. Leaves Like Glass
2. Full Moon (with jammy Jarvis intro and crystal clear sound on his slide lines)
3. Cali in a Cup (crowd goes wild after Cup ends and somebody yells out: “California!”)
4. The Shining
5. Bend Beyond (extended and exceptional sounding)
6. Size Meets the Sound
7. Shepherd
Jarvis introduces Chuck to the NYC audience. Fan yells out “Where’s Chuck from?” No response from stage.
8. Only The Lonely
9. Moving to the Left
10. Twin Steps
Trippy electronic knocking sound on long repeat while band tunes between songs
11. With Light and With Love
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During break after main set, a group of fans chant “Five more songs. Five more songs!”
12. Green is the Colour (Pink Floyd cover dedicated to MV and EE)
13. Be All Be Easy
Fans chant: “One more song!” but house lights go up and sound system plays Get Off Of My Cloud.
Total running time of set: 66 minutes
The next day we watched California Chrome win the Preakness on a television monitor in the back yard at Belmont Park. On June 7, Chrome (assuming he stays healthy) will try to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. I don’t think he’s gonna do it but I’ll be rooting for him. At least his nostrils will be opened up nice and wide as he gasps for air running down that impossibly long home stretch.
Late on Preakness night, we met up at Shea Stadium BK to see Porches (pictured above). The band opened with the great song Headsgiving. The highlight came on Skinny Trees when Greta wandered over to Aaron’s mike and sang harmony on the “And I’m a New York City slug” line. Seriously stirring. Porches rock and there’s only one way this band is going if they want. It’s up.
Like Jerome the night before, Marc was ticked about the length of the set. Porches played maybe thirty minutes. But it was a great 30 minutes. There was some distracting chatter from the back of the room that may have prompted the early quit but I think short sets are the new norm. It doesn’t really bother me. I just go back and see ’em again.
Admission was $8. Bud cans were cheap.
And updating an item from last week: The Allegra totally works. It makes you feel a little weird but it really squashes the sneezing.