Dryvetyme Onlyne

Little Joy with The Dead Trees and The TonTons
November 28th, 2008
Warehouse Live
Houston, TX

One of the marks of a local band finally getting some quality recognition around their hometown is when they are chosen to open up for a larger, nationally touring band. It does not matter the size and/or notoriety of said group that’s traveling the country (much less the size of the venue holding the concert), anytime that you’re chosen to start off the show, it’s a good day in the life of your band. So, I’m sure that it was an exciting day in The TonTons camp when they received the nod to be the opening act for Little Joy (the side project of Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes) and The Dead Trees at Warehouse Live (Studio Room) on Wednesday night, November 28th, 2008 in Houston, TX. What followed was a solid night of indie rock: some blues-inspired, another paying homage to alt-country and roots rock, while yet another created some sparkling pop.

From their rumbling opener until the rocking end of their seven-song set, The TonTons again proved why they are deserving of the many accolades being heaped upon them by Houston music fans. This band was simply on top of their game, possessing greater poise and displaying an increased chemistry than in recent shows around town. Not to say that the other shows haven’t been good, but the band truly rose to the occasion for this set, as they showcased their bluesy, soulful, classic-rock-loving selves to their friends and attendees who were present for Little Joy. Currently putting the finishing touches on a new EP, the band decided to let loose a new track from that project, and it proved to be an excellent indicator of the band’s direction – a country rock torch song that leaves ample room for the band to grow. On the whole, The TonTons did exactly what they needed to do: perform a great 30-minute set showcasing some of the best music coming out of Houston these days.

Next up was The Dead Trees, an indie rock quintet with heavy country-rock overtones, hailing from Portland, OR. True to their NW roots, this talented group combined elements of Death Cab for Cutie, The Thermals, and Blitzen Trapper to create a sound that was reminiscent of early Wilco with traces of Tom Petty (and yes, I realize that the latter two aren’t from the Pacific Northwest). The band put on an excellent set, powered by quality guitar work, big rock-n-roll vocals, a driving rhythm section, and a truly blue-collar aesthetic. Though the crowd was full of typical, head-nodding indie kids, this was not a tame act: they were truly into their music (just not in the annoying, exaggerated sense) throughout the course of their nine songs. Hopefully, with this tour, more people will be investigating the sound of The Dead Trees.

Little Joy took the stage to some solid applause from the 70% full room and honored the assembled crowd by working their way through twelve smart, crisp pop songs in 45 minutes. Elements of The Strokes were present, as were aspects of folk and modern indie-pop (ala Peter, Bjorn, and John), and the entire effort was led by the voice and guitar work of Rodrigo Amarante (of Los Hermanos) alongside the harmony vocals and multi-instrumental talents of Binki Shapiro. Members of The Dead Trees joined the band on stage to fill out various instrumental needs (including the band’s Frank Zappa-looking bass player holding those duties for Little Joy’s entire set), creating a very fun and festive atmosphere on stage amongst the musicians. In the end, though there was a pocket of intense fans in the front-left corner of the stage singing along vigorously with Rodrigo, the band’s brand of clean pop proved to be a rather anti-climatic end to the evening. It’s not that Little Joy didn’t put on a good show, but more that, despite their star power, their set paled in comparison to the rock energy evinced by the two opening acts. Truly, the night belonged to The TonTons and The Dead Trees.

All pictures come courtesy of Marc Brubaker of Click. Wind. Repeat. Click here for the full set of photos from the night.