Concert Review: The Avett Brothers @ Bottle & Cork
Concert Date: 7.10.2008
The first time I heard The Avett Brothers, I knew they were channeling a very strong and different energy than most bands. Their music respects the music of America from centuries past and yet they make it modern without comprising its core. I had seen youtube clips of the band and knew that their live act was all energy and I was excited to see it. The boys from North Carolina did not disappoint.
The band got on stage around 10:15 PM and immediately got the crowd going with a new song (sorry I didn’t know the title), but then they kicked into what I am assuming to be their most well know song “Die, Die, Die”. It was excellent, but the best part was they had a cello player that came in from the back that looked like the Japanese wrestler The Great Muta and actually played a cello like I think Muta would have played. This guy was fucking awesome.
A recurring theme throughout the night was Scott Avett breaking banjo strings, I think he was up to 15 or 20 by the end of the night. It didn’t stop him at all. The band just kept belting out songs. I am guessing the band put in some newer material (that they didn’t announce) or I just didn’t know the songs, but they had a different tone, it was like Alt-Country New Wave and a synthesizer was thrown into the mix, the songs were good, I don’t know if it fit in with their overall theme and presentation, but tunes were good and a little change was okay.
If you noticed in the last few concert write ups I make it a point to discuss the location and the crowd. We have been very lucky the last year with venues and crowds, our luck ran out in Delaware. The tickets said the show starts at 8 PM. The band didn’t get on until 10. I don’t think it was the bands fault as I did some reading and that is common place at the location, they just wanted to sell booze because it is a bar first and concert venue 50th. The Bottle & Cork concert area is outdoors and quite dirty. I have been to a ton of shows in Philadelphia’s concert pier and that place was 20 times cleaner than the concert area of B&C. It was disgusting. The crowd certainly added to the filth. I have never seen so many people under 30 smoking in my life. All these cute girls walking around and talking with cigarettes hanging from their hands – they all looked like babies smoking. Anyway….
The band sounded great and the concert was fully energy the whole night. If you want to see some old time style music with a modern flare and high energy performance, see the Avett Brothers.
Links:
The Avett Brothers: Official Site
Youtube Performance: Performance Link
Bottle & Cork: Bottle & Cork
