On a day that LSU beat the University of Texas to win the College World Series in Omaha, Spanish Moon hosted native Austin experimentalists The Octopus Project.
"We always seem to go to places where the team has just lost a big game and everyone seems a little down, so it's nice to go somewhere that's just won," band member Josh Lambert said. After a roar from the crowd, Lambert added, "Yeah! We don't like UT, so it's OK. Let's have some fun tonight."
At the end of the night, the band was visibly exhausted and the crowd greatly appreciated the hour of intensity laced with the mesmerizing howls of the theremin (an early electronic musical instrument controlled without contact from the player).
This Wednesday, The Wooden Birds will take to the same stage that their fellow Austinites, The Octopus Project, rocked exactly a week prior. Though they hail from the same city, The Wooden Birds will bring a completely different feel to The Spanish Moon. Like an innocent Neil Young, frontman Andrew Kenny's soft, soothing vocals and captivating lyrics lead meandering guitars and simple, steady percussion down a melodic trail of folksy indie rock. Fans of Broken Social Scene will immediately notice an uncanny similarity in sound, and with good reason, as Andrew Kenny toured with the Canadians in 2007. Kenny also fronted another down-tempo Austin arrangement called American Analog Set. With The Wooden Birds, Kenny's vocals are much more the focus than with AmAnSet, and the newer project also features a greater prevalence of percussion. The band's first album, Magnolia, is now out on Barsuk Records.
I'm going to this! And Octopus Project was fantastic last week. Great show. And great posts!