A last second booking in Cleveland could either result in disaster or an unexpected pleasant visit, and this entirely depends on, I believe, the fickle hand of higher powers.  The veracity of my statement is pretty clear to those that live around here.  Snow drags on for months and it’s right about mid-February that things get the most desolate on the southern point of Lake Erie.  Folks tend to stay inside, warmed by the hearth and introspection that only a cold day can bring.  To get back on track, if you’re a band attempting to land a gig last minute, it won’t be entirely difficult.  There are some Cleveland institutions that are amazing venues to play; of course, if nobody shows up to the show, you’re pretty much shit out of luck.

Sometimes, my great city suprises me, and despite what the fine folks at Forbes said about us, I think our scenesters can hang with just about anyone.  Philly quartet, Drink Up Buttercup, experienced this on a one-night unexpected quick stop in Cleveland this weekend. A sparsely attended last-minute show dredged up pure magic as the band absolutely rocked the hell out of The Grog Shop into the wee hours of the morning.

The Grog Shop had a full bill this evening, but that doesn’t mean that anything was of high quality.  Earlier in the week, Drink Up Buttercup had contacted me via Twitter about hooking up a gig in Cleveland en route to their Toledo show on Saturday.  This last minute matchup with The Grog was slightly interesting.  Most of the acts booked this night weren’t the normal fare for the venerable venue and when the band rolled in adorned in full hipster style and armed with aluminum garbage cans, doll wigs, and more professional gear, they looked completely out of place (or right on the money depending on which fan you were).  Most of the fans at the show weren’t normal denizens of the trendy Coventry concert hall, but this made the end result all the more enthralling.  Most were wasted by the time I got there for the late show, and the honky-tonk rockabilly act that played just before got the audience liquored and primed for just about anything.

To rewind a bit, I should mention how amazingly talented Drink Up Buttercup is.  Their debut album, Born and Thrown on a Hook (due out on March 23rd) has been a mainstay for me since it was advanced to Citizen Dick.  A near psychedelic form of nostalgia rips through each insanely catchy track, and you’d be a silly person not to dig deeper into this Philadelphia foursome.  To top it all off, they’re incredibly nice dudes, as well.  The band slid through the nasty snowstorm to reach Cleveland early and hung out for a bit at my house.  One conversation makes something clear:  These guys know they’re good, and they have an incredibly high wealth of music knowledge.  We spoke at length about emerging music trends and these guys know their juice.  This is all important to realize, because when you translate this album into a live setting, even the most hardened and unknowledgeable music fan will easily fall into Drink Up Buttercup’s claws. To put it short, this album is on my early list of killer 2010 albums and the live show only cements this opinion.

The band puts wild energy into their live performance, and as the band dove into “Gods and Gentlemen,” the audience took notice.   The high octane and left of center psycho-tripping hookfest of sound erupts in a live setting, leaving listeners feeling nostalgic, but in a completely refreshing way.  There’s enough style and uniqueness to keep the throwback vocal delivery  of a bygone era completely new.  There’s additionally a raw and loose vibe that comes forward, as well.  “Young Ladies” is a rolling carnival-like track that needs to be heard live.  This track brought the tentative audience closer to the band.  Each song played received a louder response than the first, and anyone in attendance knew they were listening to talent.  The frenzied stage presence is worth noting and an infectious energy makes this troop amazing performers.  They jump around like jackrabbits on stage and never miss a single note or rhythm.  Drummers walk around on their kits, garbage cans get pounded, and the melodica sings to the rafters.  One completely hammered newly found fan devil-horned the band at the end exclaiming, “Dude, you’re like The Beatles on Mescaline, Man!”  We cut that guy off, stat. The band has mentioned in interviews that they attempt different things in a live show than on their recorded material.  If anything, after the initially quiet audience hooted and hollered each song, it’s apparent that they are successful.  Folks paid 5 bucks for the show, but got way more in return.

The highlight of the night was the encore of “Lovers Play Dead,” where the band members walked off the stage and into the small audience, banging a bass drum, crashing cymbals on the concrete floor, and getting 20 wasted folks engaged in a heartwarming singalong.  It’s times like these that the lucky few get to catch these kinds of excellent musicians that quietly tour our country.  You’re not going to get this kind of thing at an arena show.  The infusion of surreal pop and frenetic and in-your-face energy could only be encapsulated with a free-for-all singalong at the concert’s close.  What began as a pit-stop with zero expectations formed into a magical night of music.  As I left the venue, I became slightly arrogant.  I knew these guys were for real, and it felt good helping bring them into Cleveland to play a show.  Although nobody at The Grog Friday will probably read these words, it was a treat, wasn’t it?

Snag two of their MP3′s from the album that’s released this week.  You’re doing yourself a huge favor picking up this album.  Additionally, (after the MP3′s) enjoy the video for “Heavy Hand.”  It does a pretty good job of representing the precise melodies and energetic chaos the band brings to the table.  And if you’re within 200 miles of anywhere they’re playing, they certainly won’t let you down.

Drink Up Buttercup – Young Ladies

Drink Up Buttercup – Seasickness Pills

http://www.vimeo.com/9666448