Video: Roadside Graves at West Coast Tavern

It was really magical how a small group of people were able to put their collective resources and contacts together to get a show for Roadside Graves after their planned venue canceled their show. I love local music, but I also love when touring bands come here and I never want the good ones to leave with a bad experience. The night had a few snags...like having to borrow mics and stands from Bar Pink...but again, people stepped up and made this a killer show. Greg Gibson kicked off the night with a great set, with Frank Green helping him with guitar and harmonies. I love these guys and you already do, too, right? So much talent in this city, it often times still leaves me awestruck.

Roadside Graves had six guys in the band (so I have no idea whose living room or backyard they could ever pull off on a Monday evening/night) and contrary to my description of the band being bluegrass-y, these guys were puro rock n roll. They were high energy and reminded me of a lot of the bands I'm into right now...Fake Problems, Gaslight Anthem, or the new Against Me record, and would be perfectly suited to play with the Silent Comedy or The Howls for the revival feeling of the music.

After the night wrapped up and all the gear was packed away, we all hung out into the wee hours over at Bar Pink where the boys showed their first sign of being from Jersey by discussing "grenades". They were fantastic and I'm glad they didn't leave town without having played a show. They don't tour often, but you better believe when they do I'll do whatever is in my power to get them back here.

I shot some video of the band and I attempted titles, but if I got them wrong, please let me know. It really was a great night and I was impressed by the number of people who showed up when we literally just had hours to promote the show. Huge thanks for David Cohen for letting us book the band at West Coast Tavern and to Bobby for being such a gracious host with such short notice.

Tonight: Roadside Graves & Greg Gibson at West Coast Tavern (FREE SHOW!)

And that, my friends, is how you book a show...a tweet leads to a text that leads to an email chain and more texts and a super awesome bar owner willing to stick his neck out says, "why not?"

So here's all you need to know: Roadside Graves are from New Jersey and are often categorized as bluegrass, though they lean more toward indie-rockers with lots of blog love and not so much in vein of Country Music Television. Their records are out on Autumn Tone, and if you're a music blog nerd like me, you know that is the label started by Aquarium Drunkard (other artists include The Henry Clay People, Happy Hollows, J. Tillman and more) which is basically like my music bloggy idol. The band has a couple full length records out and they're on a super limited west coast run, so catch them while you can.

"With a name like the Roadside Graves, you'd think this country-rock seven-piece with New Jersey roots would be a somber crew, gravitating more towards Nebraska's murder ballads than the fired-up anthems of Born to Run. As it happens, their growing songbook encompasses both bittersweet narrative numbers (at times Dylan-esque) that tilt toward folk, and more up-and-at-'em efforts with pounding ivorie s, locomotive drums and guitar, and accordion to spare. Fans of Josh Ritter or early Wilco should find plenty to love... they're hashing out their own dusty visions of America - rousing, perambulatory, but with a macabre underside." -flavorpill.com

Roadside Graves & Greg Gibson
West Coast Tavern
2895 University Avenue
9 pm
FREE SHOW!!

p.s. My next show at West Coast Tavern will be on the regular Thursday night with Old Tiger!!