That title almost sounds like a book title, but it's really the names of two of the four bands that played at the Loft in Atlanta last night. We didn't arrive in time to see the first band of the night but just in time for Steel Train (who were the reason we were there.)Now, I briefly reviewed the Steel Train album previously but I didn't speak much about anything else. It goes like this: a fellow Cub Scout Leader from my son's pack recommended Steel Train after his nanny said that's what she was listening to. Please understand that this isn't how it worked in my musical life before. For a long, long time I walked into the record store and asked Michael and Jeremy what was out that was good. They'd pile me up some cd's (sometimes a real stack) and I'd buy them without listening. So it's a little odd to get some of my current favorite music the way I did.
I love Steel Train's live show as much as I love their album. They take the stage and own it. Even though they were the second band in a four band line-up, even though they took the stage at 7:50 they took the stage like everyone was there to see them. I said it before, they just bleed confidence. They play as though you were there to see them exclusively (which I was) and judging by crowd reaction, they may have made a few converts last night
They approach the audience as though their acceptance is a foregone conclusion, at one point moving seamlessly from one song to the next without waiting for applause, and at another encircling one mic and singing together as though they were in a bar. It could easily come off as cocky, pretentious, or self-indulgent, but instead it makes you feel like you're being let into their circle a little. It's something that a band with twice their time together might do, but, like I said, it works amazingly for them. They even went as far as to cover ABBA's Mamma Mia which was a little daring considering the average age of the audience (I have always loved ABBA.)
The next band on the stage was The Cab. I didn't really care for the songwriting or maybe it's their style. I definitely didn't care for the hair. I know I sound old but it wasn't the length of the hair that was the problem. It was the fact that it played such a large part in this band's stage presence. The keyboardist swirled his head to the right every ten seconds to reset his hair so that it was covering his face. The drummer's excessively long hair flew around his head; a most certain distraction to anyone serious about seeing his kit, quickly remedied with a rubber band. The guitarist's locks are too messed up; the kind of hair that took a long time to get to look like you don't care how it looks.
Anyway, we stayed for the Hush Sound based on some of what we had heard on their MySpace page (which is about all MySpace is useful for at this point in my opinion.) I was very impressed with their show. The singing duties are passed between a pretty blonde keyboardist and the guitarist who looks kind of like Carl Newman but sounds like Ben Folds.
I really dug their set even though I hadn't heard 95% of it more than once. They eventually called members from all of the other bands up to help out on songs, but the highlight was inviting all of Steel Train on stage to perform The Jackson 5's I Want You Back. The stage was packed and it was a load of fun.
The band also performed a very respectable cover of Back In The USSR. It struck me while they were performing that it was entirely possible that many in the audience didn't know it wasn't "one of their new songs."
If you couldn't tell I had a really great time. Thanks to Keith and Helen for coming into town and getting me the tickets (for my birthday.) Steel Train will be returning to Atlanta this fall and I hope you all can come out if you're in the area.
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