Novice Theory, Extrodinary Emerging Talent

Geo Wyeth, AKA Novice Theory, is a musical force driven by the vision of possibilities.

The music and performance are gaudy, ballsy, and emotional, with a vengeance and a slight wink. With street performer creds, this multi-instrumental musician and composer have chops and a performance flare in the vein of music heavyweights. Think Gerry Lee Lewis and Rufus infused with Jazz arrangements. Novice Theory’s talent dazzles, it moved me to tears.

It is a rare occurrence to witness a musician with intrinsic musical talent. On Wednesday night at the Trash Bar, Geo Wyeth appeared below the stage with a small accordion acoustic style, stomping a foot and singing a song. With gutsy panache, he dove right in. After about six minutes, Geo slowly walked to the stage and took a seat in front of the keyboard.


Without hesitation, he launched into a fluid set combining jazzy vignettes, classical styling, and cabaret punk-like keyboarding. The broad strokes of composition were united into the confessional song structure.

Songs that depict Geo Wyeths’ journey to claim his core gender identity. He sings in the song “Coming of Age” / Mama I’ll grow up to be a man / and references / my scars will be my tassels / and in “There is an Order” to his father, he claims, / you never had a daughter you had me your infamy /. The lyrics lend authenticity to the urgent vocals.

He closed with “At the End We Listen In” / I walk into the fire with a razor in my left hand / cutting across the sand / concluding with a frenetic chant / in the fire in the fire in the fire…Wow!

Music theory can be stale and restricting. A novice can explore the process without constraints. Novice Theory reaches beyond the boundaries of theory and embraces music with a spirit of abandon.

Brought to you by Blip tv
Set aside April 5th to see Novice Theory at Joe’s Pub work the baby grand!! For other events in the works, Bed Stuy Art Jam is on March 8th.
Check Novice Theory myspace.
Flickr Set

Fun Sound of Contagious Delight

Drink up Buttercup does something few bands know how to do. They put on a great show. Headlining at the Cake Shop only makes it better. Their insanely zany acrobatic stage antics mixed with a full-bodied sound of harmonic delight, produced an atmosphere of sensory overdrive.

The garbage can and auxiliary percussion were banged and harmonies fully intact. Involuntary operatic passages and rough bawdy instrumentation all came into play. What emerged is a band worthy of praise.

The crowd was deep in the dank basement of the Cake Shop, comprised of new and recent converts. After the show one newbie on vacation from Dublin, enthusiastically rattled off a list of influences that she felt comprise their sound. She sited, The Beatles (Sgt Pepper), Beach Boys (circa Pet Sounds), The Kinks and punk influence The Clash. It was nice to hear a fresh point of view and one that was so acute.

Drink Up Buttercup’s sound is an experimental melding of the best of various styles. Unbridled and openly, unchecked.

I derive pleasure from content driven songs and music that enhances lyrics. It is very unusual for me to LOVE a band like Drink Up Buttercup. I don’t give a shit about their lyrics. “Sosey and Dosey”, who are they, who cares. They played that song with a one two beat adding the crashing drunken keyboard. The sound broadly grew when the harmonies reached an explosive volume, singing / he held her mittens in his HAND......Every song in their set was delivered with that kind of gusto and bravado.

Accompanying them on stage for their last song “Gods and Gentleman” was the ramshackle audience orchestra, beating any form of percussion they could find. That was the clincher. The crowd craved more and Drink Up abandoned their mics and delivered an acoustic rendition of “The Lovers Play Dead” in the middle of the venue. With their shakers in hand, they included us in their energetic music circle of warmth.

For me, the only downer of the night is when a very beautiful young woman asked me quite sweetly, if I was one of the band members mother. Damn, I might be old but life is short, seeing Drink Up Buttercup is worth my time and yours.

Openers: Trtl soup
Trtl soup combine cool geeky tech mixed with a DIY low-fi attitude that is refreshing. Bass, guitar and drums are interspersed with an audio system of spliced sound frequencies. The bands occasional ranting vocals, stood out in a funny way / girls go to college to gain more knowledge / boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider /. United with the light moments is a socio political edginess and sound assemblages that reflect our subliminal communal consciousness. Interesting Group!

Flickr Set Drink Up
Flickr Set Trtl soup

Bright Eyes; Radio City Music Hall

Our seats were good, yet too far for pictures, orchestra, Isle D, double A (only one is reflective of my bra size). This was my eighteenth time seeing Bright Eyes live; I was not disappointed.

Opening acts are always a treat at a Bright Eyes show / The Felice Brothers
I can think of a few other bands that welcome and support new, emerging, or underrated talent the way Bright Eyes does. They welcome these rogue originals with open arms.

The Felice Brothers expressed that playing Radio City was quite a bump up from performing in the subway. They thanked Bright Eyes for the experience and gave a very sweet shout-out to their grandmother in the audience, who was excited to see her grandsons play at the same venue as Frank Sinatra.

The Felice Brothers is a quartet of three brothers and a friend from Catskills, NY. They tell narrative tales blending Americana with a rusty homegrown sound. Produced by a blend of acoustic guitar, drums, bass, accordion, and piano. They played ten songs with three strong and distinct vocalists sharing the lead while the remaining members sang rough harmonies.

Despite the expansive stage in an overwhelmingly large venue, they connected with the audience and created a down-home and intimate staging peppered with theatrics. During “The Ballad of Lou the Welterweight,” James Felice, the accordionist, put a hat over his heart in tribute to the fallen boxer. When he introduced a song about hardship and depression, his soulful deep vocals were memorable. They ended their set with “Frankie’s Gun,” accompanied by Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes on trumpet. A very fitting ending with a full chorus singing, / bang bang bang went Frankie’s gun/ he shot me down.

Thurston Moore's Personal Vision Realized
In came Thurston Moore and his band of aural angels, playing songs from his new solo release Trees Outside The Academy. Staring at the two acoustic guitars, bass, violin, and drums, my eyes betrayed my ears. This acoustic band of deception laid down intricate compositions, replete with constant pulsating drums by Steve Shelley, bass rhythms, double guitar leads (Thurston Moore and Chris Brokaw), and darting violin treatments throughout. Samara Lubelski on violin played a haunting low register, rarely segueing into melody.

The scaffolding of instrumentation created a collaboration of the highest order. Every song had this never-ending quality, not like a jam but more like an organic improvisation within the song structure. The last song, “Trees Outside the Academy,” closed this impressive set and highlighted the accomplished musicianship. I closed my eyes and hoped this class act would never end.

Bright Eyes
This Bright Eyes show had no agenda. This was not a promotional tour but the last night stand of a year-long tour. And stand they did. They played a wide variety of the Bright Eyes catalog with added new arrangements. The collaborative nature of an ever-changing cast of players, with the anchoring of Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, creates a fresh approach. I appreciate seeing live shows that don’t mimic exactly what is on the recording and Bright Eyes delivers.

At Radio City, the music was loud, but it was grand. Although Conor works very hard at phrasing and pronunciation, not all of the words were audible. The added restraint of coordinating with a vocalist can be tricky, and Bright Eyes did not sacrifice the live feel of the music for the lyrics. While I would have loved to hear every word from Conor, I didn’t feel deprived.

Starting with “Another Traveling Song” from I’m Wide Awake Its Morning Conor came out and took command of the stage. Having seen him over the years terrified, it is wonderful to witness the confidence, maturity, and ease with which he can now perform.

I just about flipped to hear “Song to Pass the Time” from Fevers and Mirrors. I have heard many versions of that song. The twangy flavor of the original song was changed considerably with the addition of the trumpet. “Lua” stood out with James Felice on accordion and Nate Walcott on flugelhorn, adding depth and distance to the sad tale. “Poison Oak” was moving. “True Blue” was infused with a strong pedal steel guitar and sung with conviction, / I don’t know much about you / but I like you because you’re true blue /.

Only one complaint I could have done without the Tom Petty cover. It was fun, rollicking, and exciting, but I would have been happier with an original. The stage festivities grew as The Felice Brothers joined in and the Radio City night lights strobe across the ceiling. The audience rose from their seats to join the celebration.

Bright Eyes ended the four-song encore with a new political power song of intensity and anger about the war and the future of many wars to come. / Nothing left but the cockroaches / in a movie with no sound /. As always, Bright Eyes has words that move, stating truisms like no other, employing all of us to take a hard look in the mirror. I left smiling but felt pangs of guilt thinking about the state of the world as I walked down Isle D.