Vetiver and Dawes at the Horseshoe Tavern; Monday November 8, 2010

Vetiver are a band to see live. Andy Cabic, the heart and soul of the band is quite the performer - talking very little keeping true to the music. I really love how fun their sound is. They manage to have both the pop and control that the Beatles mastered. One big difference between this time and the last time I saw them was that this time I was only a couple of feet away from the stage. I feel almost invasively close to the performers. The thing I really enjoyed about the show this time around was being able to see where all the music comes from. Having never played a rock n' roll instrument, it's really hard for me to breakdown what exactly I'm hearing when I hear a tune.

I loved every band member of Vetiver, each had quite the original flare to their playing styles. The bassist wore his guitar high exactly like Paul McCartney. It was even a Hofner bass, the same one McCartney sported as a Beatle.

The drummer was blocked from my view for the majority of the concert. But for every glimpse I got of him he was having a ball. Great presence in his facial expressions and flowy movements.

The guitarist looked like a double for The Social Network leading actor Jesse Eisenberg, except with some serious musical abilities. I never noticed the guitar's presence before beyond Cabic's chords.

There was also a female keyboardist who had very little presence but her bits were as important as anyone else's.

Cabic broke a guitar string on his acoustic and retired it for the rest of the show three songs in. I was really happy to have heard "Rolling Sea" and "Everyday" before his guitar went out of commission. I'm always stunned when bands play there biggest tunes at the beginning of the set. By far, the album Tight Knit is the band's finest piece of work. I really love the effortlessness and ease that the album boasts. It's refreshing but not cheesy like Jack Johnson does so well.

The very modest set opener "Rolling Sea"

The wonderful tune "Everyday" which was featured in a Visa commerical.

This'll be added to my list of regrets, missing this band play Sonic Boom.

I thoroughly enjoyed Vetiver and would certainly see them again.

Dawes were unexpectedly good. This show was the first I've heard of them, ever. They aren't even a band that I could say I have "heard of but not actually have heard musically." The lead singer is easily the glue that holds the fort together - he is super talented. He manages to uphold strong vocals while playing the lead and only guitar bits in the band. What really buttresses his performance is the keyboardist who enforces each supporting guitar bits.

For the longest time I was convinced that the bassist was his brother. I soon found out that it was actually the drummer when the lead singer passed on the vocals to him. His little brother is an unfortunately bad singer, but really put his all in. He however is a crucial part to the layered vocals. Their layered vocals give the band a real country edge, without bleeding into the nu country sound. It gave them quite a bit of depth as a band.

The words that this band mashes together are really great. They sing about trivial coming of age bs that every other band does, but what sets them apart is their ability to story tell. It reminded me of how a Conor Oberst song plays out - often like a read story. I can't help but think of how I know every word to the very story based "Waste of Paint."

"Love is All I Am" (Daytrotter)

"Love is All I Am" (Big Ugly Yellow Couch)

"When My Time Comes"

The lead singer of Dawes sings like Bruce Springsteen. In fact the band really comes off as big Boss fans. The lead singer has the vigour and strength that Springsteen has in his voice.

I don't love Dawes, but I'd definitely buy their album real cheap and I'd see them again for certain!