If I Had a Music Blog - John Vanderslice

John Vanderslice with Damien Jurado

5/12/2011 - Mercury Lounge

A few summers ago, a good friend challenged me to put together a summer playlist of songs, an annual tradition of his that I was happy to indulge in, and which inspired me to spend countless hours seeking out new artists and tracks to include in the compilation.  The result was a 'double-album' of songs categorized into cheery, beachy, dazed and confused "Summer Days" tracks and warm, ethereal "Summer Nights" counterparts (see below).  Among the highlights of the new tracks I discovered was "D.I.A.L.O", a satellite radio indie-rock station darling from a little known veteran rock outfit fronted by John Vanderslice, the band's namesake.  Their album Romanian Names had just been released, and while I enjoyed the music and it has remained a staple in my music catalog, I paid little attention to Vanderslice's other work.  

My Summer Mix '09 Artwork

When his current tour and upcoming set at Mercury Lounge was announced a few months ago, I snatched up a ticket (likely a product of my annual tradition of emerging from winter with a need to inflate my calendar with as many concerts as possible to make up for the endless months of hibernation and dreary attitudes that wash over New York City each year) and found myself diving into his newest album White Wilderness in preparation for the show.  The album itself is quite lovely, if not a bit gentle, but it brings the orchestral intensity and diverse instrumentation I anticipated on the heels of Romanian Names.  Knowing little about Vanderslice himself, his band, or his background, I expected a stage full of musicians and electronics and a set of clean, full songs.  

John Vanderslice - White Wilderness

I couldn't have been more wrong, and I couldn't be any happier about it. 

Mercury Lounge's small stage and tight, brick walls make it a bit claustrophobic for larger acts, and the few CMJ events I've seen there have struggled with the space.  The opener, Damien Jurado, accompanied by the gentle voice of Melodie Knight (of Seattle's Campfire OK), brought the fascinated crowd to a standstill, as his folk guitar and sweet crooning, with Melodie's vocals perched atop, conjured up breathtaking harmonies reminiscent of Fleet Foxes at their softest.  Jurado kept the crowd amused, chatting and cracking jokes between songs, but it was his music that kept the room fascinated.  Strong opening acts are always encouraging, and typically indicate a powerful headlining performance.  Tonight was no exception.  

Despite my expectations, John Vanderslice took the stage accompanied solely by drummer Jason Slota (a human tour-de-force, as it were, with an arsenal of percussive toys including a synthesizer and glockenspiel) with guitars and a handful of his own gadgets in tow.  From the onset, he promised an entertaining evening filled with audience participation and surprises, and he didn't disappoint.  Noting the small stage setup the duo had prepared, Vanderslice invited the audience to fill a half-dozen chairs set along the back and side of the stage, for those with obstructed views.  With his charming, youthful energy and wit, he insisted that as soon as the first person gathered the gall to join them on stage, droves would follow.  This offering was just the first of many invitations the band bestowed on the crowd.   I wish I were more familiar with his catalog so I could include a set list, and I will edit this post if one appears on the web post-haste (post-post?), but the songs took a back seat to the energy and antics of the band on this evening anyway.  

Vanderslice runs his own studio, tiny telephone, in his hometown of San Francisco, and his show feels like an invitation to join him in a studio session with a hundred of his closest friends.  Songs would start and stop with the band interjecting, pointing out their own mistakes, telling tales like a VH1 Storytellers set, and joking with the audience.  John teased at one point that at their last stop in Buffalo one song lasted 25 minutes, and in retrospect I'm not sure he was exaggerating.  He invited two audience members to join him on guitar and vocals for a track, had saxophone and clarinet accompaniment from friends in the crowd, invited both of the artists from the opening act to join him at different times, and turned Mercury Lounge into a goofy house party of talented musicians playing loose but exhilarating tunes and having more fun than anyone ought to for fifteen bucks in the East Village.  At his best, Vanderslice is soulful and energetic and clearly enjoys himself on stage.  He was rightfully effusive in his praise for Slato throughout the evening, and the duo had clearly done their homework in reworking the orchestral opuses into manageable tunes, albeit with plenty of stops along the way - all of which the band embraced. 

Tiny Telephone Studios

The highlight of the evening came when Vanderslice and Slato picked up an acoustic guitar and floor tom, respectively, and formed an un-mic'd stage in the center of the crowd.  Flashlights and cellphones lit up the middle of the floor, and the otherwise hushed audience joined in occasionally for a camp-fire style sing-along for a few songs to bring the night to a close.  As the lights came up on the lounge, the band invited everyone to stay for a dance party, and despite the late hour (the headliners came on around 11 and the lights came up at 12:30am) I was almost tempted to stay and see what more could possibly transpire.  

It was an evening full of shattered expectations and pleasant surprises.  I look forward to diving deeper into the John Vanderslice discography, and I can say with certainty that I will be first in line for tickets the next time he comes to town.  

If I had a music blog, I hope I could garner as much enthusiasm to write about every show as I have a day after spending an evening among John Vanderslice's circle of friends.

John Vanderslice - Convict Lake (MP3)

Damien Jurado - Arkansas (MP3)