Saturday was a night of men and their guitars in the Nicolson lounge. The acoustic night brought together performers from inside and outside of the Wesleyan community. Thirty or so audience members relaxed on the heated floor of the lounge, sipping hot chocolate and munching on cookies.
The event was organized by Lee Pender ’07, who since playing there during Foss Fest last spring thought the Nic lounge would be a great venue for an acoustic show. Pender had performed with all the acts at the acoustic show in the past except for The Arms and Legs, who had emailed him only a few days prior about playing a show at Wesleyan. Pender listened to the band, liked what he heard, and booked band member Scott Daily for the acoustic show.
Even Pender’s parents got involved, providing the hot chocolate, cookies and parental advice.
“My mom kept telling me to remember my sweater and asking me if I was hungry,” Pender said.
Having invited other parents to the show, Pender was disappointed with the adult turnout.
“Not as many people brought their parents as I thought they would,” he said.
Eric Hsu ’06 opened the show, playing stripped down covers of stripped down songs. Adapting songs by The Flaming Lips, Love, Cat Power, and others, he set the tone for the evening.
“[There was] a cozy, mellow atmosphere, the same as the music,” said Ashley Williams ’08.
Following Hsu, Dylan Rau ’07 shattered the soporific tone. What his set lacked in length it compensated with vigor and intensity. After a false start, Rau began with the eagerly anticipated “Basement of Love.” Rau’s biting vocal style of sliding from note to note complemented the raw lyrics and energetic guitar. “Guadalajara” and “Valentine’s Day” followed “Basement of Love.”
“Dylan Rau is the avatar of our generation,” said Andy Aylward ’07. “Start a band with him now.”
Lowell Thompson from New York City had a commanding presence that contrasted with his sweet and soulful songs. Performing beautiful original songs, including “9 clichés, 1 misconception,” “another viper,” and “consciousness,”
Thompson was well received by the audience, to which he was already well acquainted through his friend Pender. In his cover of “Shimmer” by Fuel, he smoothed out the edges of a song one did not know was rough to begin with. He also played “Lowellized” and “Hypocrite,” a song by Pender.
“He has an achingly beautiful voice,” said Jenny Ryan ’07. “Lowell is 79 inches of heartbreaking musical profundity.”
In the interlude after Thompson’s set, Leila Duchac ’07 accompanied Pender, singing the beautifully simple “Let Things Go.”
The Kingsfoil duo then took the stage and impressed the audience with their songs “Lilac,” “Madison Square Garden,” “You Know You Want Me,” and “Hey Girl.” They also favorably covered Damien Rice. Their precise and saccharine voices contrasted with Rau’s grit and Lowell’s soul.
The Arms and Legs took the stage with an ominous disclaimer.
“This is the first time I’ve played sober, I think, by myself,” Daily said.
With a sound comparable to Jeff Buckley or Elliot Smith, his melancholy set deeply impressed the audience. Sobering songs like “Dead Musician in the Ground” were interspersed with lively songs written for a ukulele. Pender was pleased with the performance.
“It’s always good to discover a new band that you like,” he said.
Pender ended the night with his familiar set of songs. Usually performing with his band, Franny, he performed old songs as well as new ones, encouraging the audience to participate.
Pender’s performance was rewarding for Franny followers.
“I heard Lee writing some of those songs in our room last year,” said Nick Nauman ’07. “Hearing them come to fruition tonight really makes me bust a nut,”
Thompson was equally happy with the acoustic night.
“[It was] seriously the best night of music I’ve heard in the last five years,” he said.
“[The night went] exactly as I planned it. But there could have been more snuggling,” Pender said.
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