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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Photos / Live Reviews / News Live review: Garotas Suecas, Andy the Doorbum, Super Ape
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 3:08 PM
Garotas Suecas, Andy the Doorbum, Super Ape
Snug Harbor
Sept. 28, 2010
The Deal: Local artists kick off show in support of Brazilian sextet.
The Good: The night got started with a short, but sweet, set by Charlotte's Super Ape. The quintet combines keyboards and samples with drums, guitar and bass to create as much of an atmosphere as it does a song. While the individual band members might look like they're doing something simple, the complete sound produced by all five is something sonically substantial that's worth taking notice of. No lyrics here as the instrumental band settles into a groove and rides it.
Andy the Doorbum was definitely the meat of the sandwich on this night. Andy, along with a banjo and sax player, offered up a healthy portion of his acoustic music that gives the listener a good tune with poetic lyrics. His gruff voice occasionally gives way to something more melodic, but he's quick to bounce between the two. His music bounces between something folk and the edge of metal for a unique style that isn't heard often... anywhere. There's no polish on his albums — usually found in the form of cassettes — but there shouldn't be. His music is best heard live, raw and in the flesh anyway.
Garotas Suecas, which is Portuguese for "Swedish Girls," is a six-piece band based out of Brazil — five guys, one girl. While I was expecting a little more of a South American influence, I was a bit surprised by the band's '70s style in its music. Lyrics, which were rarely in English, became more of a layer to the sound than something that would catch your attention. Singer Guilherme Saldanha wasn't the most active frontman and his voice sometimes lacked the power and emotion you'd hope for. Moments of falsetto highlighted his performance.
The Bad: When I heard about a six-piece band from Brazil coming into town, my mind immediately conjured up images of intense drum-led songs and danceable grooves. BUZZ Wrong, thank you for playing though.
The Verdict: I can easily see Super Ape winning over crowds at an indie show at Snug Harbor as easily as a jam band show at the Neighborhood Theatre. Andy the Doorbum continues to write poetic songs and provide an energy that isn't often found in acoustic-led music. As for Garotas Suecas — that Brazilian tag is going to mislead a good number of folks. They're good at what they do, it's just unexpected and lacked a bit of something memorable, like those that preceded them.
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