The Obligatory

Last night I saw a pretty amazing concert at the always amazing Getty Center. As part of their "Friday Nights at the Getty" series, where I saw Calexico for the first time a while back, they had Califone and the Books play a show in the Harold Williams Auditorium.

While the design of the auditorium brought me immediately back to a college lecture hall (which is not surprising, as they DO have lectures there fairly often), Califone had draped reindeer made of white Christmas lights across the stage, so it wasn't too stuffy. It's the little touches.

I had seen Califone before, at last year's Calexico/Iron & Wine concert, but back then it was only two players. Now, they had doubled their number to the full ensemble, which I wasn't epxecting ... since I didn't really know much about the band.

Their short, sweet set was very impressive. At the core, simple folk songs pulled apart in different directions and embellished with carefully placed, seemingly random bits of percussion, pizzicato violin, and slide guitar. Pretty much exactly the type of music I'm really, really into right now. They've got some free downloads up at their site, and I'll be picking up some albums soon, I'm sure.

The Books were completely amazing in a different way. The techno-folk duo have just added accompanying video presentations to their cut-and-paste songs, and the end result adds a layer that sometimes illuminates, sometimes playfully obscures the actual songs being played. Either way, paying more attention to the screen or to the surprisingly complex musicianship of the band is a rewarding experience you're not likely to find at other concerts.

The Books are on tour right now, and are 100% recommended. You can also hear almost all of their music at their site. But if you like it, do the right thing and buy it. The guys are independent. And they're New Englanders.

Represent.

Yankee Doodle Dandy.
-Ryan