The Rosebuds, Goldrush, White Laces
Friday, October 21. 2011 at The Camel
The month of October has been sick. With the constant weather changes, everyone I know has either gotten sick or recently recovered. On this particular Friday, the weather had grown to a bitter cold. As I rode my bike down Allen on my way to the Camel, I was reminded of that familiar sensation of frozen knuckles and reddened faces. It’s almost ironic that as I brought my bike to a halt, White Laces had started their short acoustic set with the song “Sick of Summer.”
I locked up around the corner and ran inside to catch the remainder of their set. For tonight’s performance, White Laces were Landis Wine and Jay Ward. Two acoustic guitars, one mandolin, and two voices made up their instrumental selection. The band is known for their unapologetically loud tendencies. In their usual electric performances, White Laces deliver a sound along the lines of the pop sensibilities of Guided By Voices with a sonic foreground of My Bloody Valentine. To see White Laces in their element is an absolutely glorious experience. But when they break apart all of the effects and lower the volume, you can really observe and appreciate the subtle intricacies of their songwriting. One particular highlight was a rendition of Ballpoint Pens’ “Calcutta,” which Wine had put together for the recent compilation Love Me When I’m Gone: A Tribute to Ross Harman. This was one of two covers that the band performed this evening, and it helped to illustrate the influence of their musical peers as well as that of more widely known groups. Although they would only perform five songs on this evening, they still performed an earnest, unique portrayal of their typical set.
One of my favorite things about the Goldrush is how incredibly loud they can be. This is especially rewarding for the audience, considering the background of the group. It’d be too simple to describe them as a rock group with orchestral components. The concept of the group is to integrate and contemporize instruments that are considered strictly classical. At their foundation, Goldrush are first and foremost a rock band. It just helps that Prabir Mehta has the accompaniment of the violin-bass duo of Treesa and Matt Gold, as well as the steady drumming of Greg Brooks. It makes songs like “Touch” sound enchanting, and that song has grown to become one of my favorite local tracks released this year. Their performance was well received and the size of the crowd began to grow in anticipation of the closing act of the night.
Before The Rosebuds started, I found myself outside The Camel once more. A few parties were arriving just in time to catch the final band and frowning at the thought of the "high" cover charge. The first thing that came to my mind is that this is a misperception. If we were in any other city, the idea of spending more than ten dollars for every show would not seem unnatural. This is not a terrible price to pay, especially for a band like The Rosebuds who are on Merge Records. If anything, it’s worth noting the efforts of Right On Productions, who helped get The Rosebuds to drop by Richmond on the last date of their tour, and also supplied a good, unique dose of local favorites as openers.
The Rosebuds spent a decent amount of time figuring out the sound of the room. As soon as the wait was over, they delivered on the promise they displayed when they were that ridiculously awesome pop outfit that opened for Bon Iver a few months back. They took the majority of their set from Loud Planes Fly Low. This recent release touches on the aftermath of Ivan and Kelly Rosebud's divorce. The band’s continued career was in question, and they did what any band does best--got into the studio to see what would come of this. The record may be bound to an emotional tragedy, but you couldn’t tell that from the performance of The Rosebuds that evening. They found solace from examining this moment in their lives, and they celebrated that solace onstage.
While the new record was still fresh enough to be slightly unfamiliar, the city was nonetheless excited to see the return of The Rosebuds. The set started with “Go Ahead,” and it’s resonating coos set the mood for the evening. The band's delicate approach to pop feels enormous and encompassing. The group projects an intimacy that comes through in their more subtle instances as well as their dancier efforts, which are just as effective. I would go as far as to say that The Rosebuds could easily find success outside of the independent spectrum. They have all of the necessary traits that would draw a larger audience, and they have already developed a fervently enthusiastic following. The audience at the Camel clung to every word. Even though the band would sometimes try to lead the crowd through the motions of the songs, direction really wasn’t needed. They were ready to let these songs belong to this moment. Their rapport with the crowd indicated that The Rosebuds had already achieved a level of success that most bands strive for but never attain.
After the show, as I sat and watched my breath rise through the foggy night, I could think only of the songs I had heard this evening. Having the privilege to see The Rosebuds in an intimate setting like The Camel makes clear how far this city's music scene has come. Everyone was rejoicing in the pop spectacle they had just witnessed. What would come next was just an afterthought for the time being--it didn’t matter. What mattered was whether we were ever going to get these songs out of our heads. Where The Rosebuds are concerned, I don't think we'll have to worry about their musical gems leaving our minds anytime soon.
Words by Shannon Cleary
Illustrations by Jennifer Kennedy