Little White Teeth opened up to a crowd ready for an evening of some great stare-at-your-shoes-and-enjoy music. Front man Phil Beaumont, his drummer wife Yuko Sugiyama, sometimes Pinback, sometimes The Black Heart Procession bassist Dmitri Dziensuwski and The Album Leaf violin virtuoso/ multi-instrumentalist Matt Resovich warmed things up with a set of their 'hmmmm?' music, giving the rapidly growing crowd something to groove to in anticipation of the headliners. Indie-Neo R&B rockers (according to The Reader) The Hot Moon set up next featuring keyboard playing, top-hat wearing Sasha Pfau, The Album Leaf trumpet player/ multi-instrumentalist Brad Lee, formerly Grand Ole Party saxophonist/ guitarist John Paul Labno, Jovi Butz on bass and Jason Hooper on drums. Both bands played to a darker than usual Casbah which was great for the mood, but not so much for flash-less photography.
After the openers finished their sets, The Album Leaf took the stage with San Diego-based singer/ songwriter Jimmy LaValle on guitar/ keyboard/ effects and James McAlister on drums joining Resovich and Lee with their mosaic of projected visual art serving as backdrop. The last time these guys came through town at The Tin Can, they were joined by a mini-orchestra of string musicians. The difference between the two set-ups was evident but did nothing to detract from what developed into an excellent show. All four members split time on different instruments, mostly with Jimmy taking the singing and guitar duties, Lee on trumpet and bass, Resovich providing his amazing violin work and McAlister's impressive kit skills. Over the course of the set they covered material from all of their five+ studio albums, strolling through an inspired hour and a half of their wistful, reflective dream pop. Though the audience (for the most part) might not have been fists in the air raucous during the show, guaranteed everyone in attendance left fully satisfied at what was a blissful evening.
Little White Teeth:
The Hot Moon:
The Album Leaf:
