In one of the more unexpected and spur-of-the-moment excursions of my ten days in NYC was getting the opportunity to stop into Bowery Ballroom to catch Jones Street Station, who's all set to release their fourth LP to, hopefully, the NYC masses and beyond. As I mentioned in a previous post, the band has hybridized their bluegrass roots into a more mainstream, palatable combination of plugged in folk, and the opening set the band put on at the Bowery was fantastic. In fact, I'd argue that they've got to be one of the tougher acts in this genre to follow up in a live setting. The last two bands put out a fairly valiant effort, but JSS stole the show at the opening.
Birthday boy and lead singer, Jonny Hull, rolled the band onto the stage in full retro suited attire, fitting for the occasion, as he was also celebrating ten years of music in NYC. From the gun, the band's stage presence is in tune with their experience. Tightly compacted rock n' roll with gorgeous multiple part harmonies and a bluegrass underbelly. Hull hit the stage with a belt of harmonicas, oftentimes sending the gut of each tune into wicked harmonica solos. He's got chops and stage presence. Plugged in mandolins, hand shakers, staunch piano/synth work, and a whole host of instrumentation brought the Bowery alive that night. The band swapped singers and instruments throughout the set, adding for varietal uniqueness and showcasing each band member's talent. There's not a real shortage of bluegrass-styled Americana rock bands lately (i.e. Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, etc), but I'm uncertain I've seen such a professional rock show in quite awhile. If you're not up to speed on Jones Street Station, hit the bio page at their website. They've scored independent films, and have been long time vets of the NYC scene. I was super pleased to have caught this set. To the bands that followed them up – I bet that wasn't easy.
The closing track, as it seems they've done often, is a full on a cappella tune, all instruments, speakers, and microphones unplugged in the venue. The band huddles together up front and belts out the final, heartwarming tune together. Legitimately, this band has fun on stage and enjoys what they do. This absolutely drips from every pore in a live setting. It's refreshing to see a band having a good time. In this indie rock world, it is often tiresome to see the aloof crooner flying through seven songs before hitting the next town. For my money, I want a little glitz and some energy – Jones Street Station did just that. As a side note, in the bio section for Jonny Hull, it says his first tape was Def Leppard's Hysteria. Right with ya, pal.
Jones Street Station – The Understanding
