Show Review: Cave Singers @ Red 7 (4/20)
The weather was beautiful in Austin on Saturday night and the setting was perfect for a much anticipated show by Seattle’s own Cave Singers. Though the crowd may have been a bit thin due to so many shows going on around town, it seemed like everyone in attendance agreed that the band killed it. Follow the jump for a few quick thoughts.
A quick minor complaint before I jump into band reviews…. I wish that some venues in town could get the music going a little bit earlier than advertised. One would assume that a doors at 9 show would mean music at 10 and not 11. Also, what headliner wants to take the stage at midnight? Seems a little strange to me. A small quip, maybe more of a suggestion. Still love Red 7 and the recent remodel.
Bleeding Rainbow opened the show and I knew from the get go that the band wasn’t really my style. I don’t want to take anything away from the band, they seem to be decent enough at what they do, but I just sort of found myself not interested. It could be best described as an alternative rock vibe that might have been interesting to me if this was 1995. To each their own I guess. The band had great energy though and they seemed to have plenty of supports in the crowd so I doubt they mind one man not feeling it. Also, the booking for this show seemed really off. Is this band really touring with Cave Singers? They don’t really have much, or anything for that matter, in common. Strange lineup indeed.
On to the moment we were all waiting for, Cave Singers. These guys were dialed in from the get go as they stormed their way through a couple songs from the new album before touching the back catalogue with personal favorites like “Swim Club”, “The Cut”, etc. The crowd was hanging on every word, pumping fists in the air and the band took notice of our enjoyment and returned in kind with one hit after another. Having met the band earlier for a video shoot, I knew they were stand up lads, but they also conveyed that attitude to everyone in the crowd with praising words for their energetic fans. What I’ve always loved about this band is that they can give you a rowdy song like “The Cut” and then lead into something more stripped down and beautiful like new favorites “Shine” & “Evergreens”. Just watching lead singer Pete Quirk belt out lyrics to those intimate numbers with eyes closed and hands raised, you can tell that they mean something personal to him and he can feel it in his bones. You’ve got to admire that kind of personal honesty from a band.
We got a solid hour and a half of great tunes from Cave Singers with a nice encore to cap off the evening. It’s still hard for me to fathom that these guys aren’t bigger than they are. Again, maybe I like my little group of fellow fans in the know and don’t want to share them. Incredible show from a great band. See you guys around next time.
