Show Review: Chad Valley @ Holy Mountain (5.7)

This is one of those shows you felt bad for when you looked at the other shows going on in town.  I mean, you’re going against Father John Misty, and possibly Redman/Method Man?  But, in my mind, this was a much better show than any of those offerings, with local band Orthy and rising star Ski Lodge kicking the night off for Chad Valley.

Read on for thoughts and photos!

We’ve long supported Orthy, and the set he put on last night only let’s us know that we’re backing the right horse.  Fleshing out the line-up to a five piece was a smart decision, adding more complete sound to the electronic skeleton of the songs. Sure, you can dance to the tunes, but the use of multiple guitars provides this jagged edge that I really dig.  Plus, it’s always great to see frontman Ian towering over the rest of the band and the audience, dwarfing the guitar in his hand.

Ski Lodge rolled up with a nice swarm of praise all over the Internet.  In my mind, they completely lived up to it, though they were a touch stationary.  They’re a power pop foursome, and those sets are just meant to be blissful and quick; it was just that.  Drummer Jake did a superb job providing the steady-hand for the rest of the group to follow, and the ringing guitars warmed my adoring pop heart.  The band will be releasing a full-length on Dovecote this summer, and I bet it will be a sure-fire hit.

Seeing Chad Valley step up behind his electronic gear made me a bit uneasy, as it’s hard to attach yourself to that sort of performance as an audience member. That being said, Chad and his stage partner were quite endearing, and they immediately had the audience eating out of their hands.  The personal touch was definitely there, which went a long way in such a small space. Everyone in my vicinity was bouncing up and down while lyrics were manipulated between two microphones.  Sometimes, the simple set up does pay off, and such was the case last night at Holy Mountain.

There are a few more pics at the photo site…