REVIEW: DIVE Presents: Christopher Owens, Bruiser and Bicycle, and Blue Ranger
5/27 @ No Fun, Troy
Photos by Debi Gustafson
“There was so much innate strength and emotion that radiated from the stage that it made you wonder how it was possibly just a one man show commanding the single microphone under the euphoric lighting, flowers on a vine slithering up its stand.”
A mellow vibe hung low in the air of Troy’s No Fun Tuesday night and welcomed each attendee into the venue like a warm embrace, setting precedent for what the springtime night had in store.
Tonight’s bill began with Albany natives Bruiser and Bicycle, who cannot be defined by a single genre, something that is evident by listening to just a few minutes of a set of theirs. But, a few picks that help paint the picture are freak-folk, French indie and neo-psychedelia.
The retro shades sported by guitarist and vocalist Keegan Graziane added to the jam-band-y opening track. The specs would soon be retired though, as Bruiser and Bicycle locked in to the stripped-down and deeply personal ambiance of the evening. Keys laid before vocalist “Lanky” Nick Whittemore, as he sat cozied up on the stage floor, leaving the shorties in the back (me), wondering where such an angelic voice was coming from.
Soon the audience would find themselves charmed by the seamless harmonizing vocals of the group, as the bassist swayed back and forth in the corner repping a pair of angelic wings. The No Fun stage would only feel soft vibrations from the tapping of drum brushes during their set, a break from the stage’s often thrashing percussion pulse. But Bruiser and Bicycle kept spirits lively and interesting with crescendos of claps, clatters and stomps throughout their tunes.
One song in particular, titled “Casper,” was instantly recognizable to me, as I downloaded it to my music rotation the first time I heard it when the group opened for Ratboys back in March. The song is so entrancing to see live because it truly showcases the individual parts each band member plays and how they blend beautifully to create their resulting collective sound.
Bruiser and Bicycle’s whimsical yet warm set got the crowd in the right space in time for Blue Ranger to take the stage. I watched the audience fall deeper into a trance as a result of the local indie performers’ calming vocals and presence in general.
Matt Griffin and Josh Marré each possess a vocal range that compliments the other so naturally. Notes of rhythmic blues fit like puzzle pieces around otherwise more folk-sounding riffs.
It was evident that the passion runs deep with these guys, making their sound that much more easily appreciated and real. Pure emotion reverbated off the walls of the venue, along with poised vocal range and diction that made listeners feel each and every word at their core.
An ethereal energy graced and danced around the stage for the entirety of the duo’s performance. The room was transported elsewhere, perhaps to a different realm where the shine of the glowing disco ball nestled in the corner could have been mistaken for the twinkling of stars as the soft plucking of strings served as the soundtrack for such a sight.
With something so magical unfolding onstage and in-ear, it only made sense that the final song of Blue Ranger’s set felt like a stripped-down David Bowie track, with a side of drifting through space.
The gig’s highly anticipated headliner, Christopher Owens, nonchalantly made his way to the stage to close out the night. The famed indie rocker’s streaked blond hair swept across his face like curtains. His focus was on the other subject with whom he shared the spotlight: his guitar. There was so much innate strength and emotion that radiated from the stage that it made you wonder how it was possibly just a one man show commanding the single microphone under the euphoric lighting, flowers on a vine slithering up its stand.
As he swept from one tune into the next, Owens, formerly of indie group Girls, joked about his setlist being a test of how many songs in “E” he could muster out in a row. Yet each held its own unique sound that showcased the intimate relationship between a man and his guitar and their undeniably natural ability to tell a story.
Owens’ also boasts a distinct vocal range that encompasses the mesmerizing ability to string one word into the next in a gruff mumble that could easily sound sloppy if done by another. Instead, it made me anxious to hear the next word in the continuous story that played out amongst a backing track of strumming strings. The lyrics were vulnerable and authentic, striking up themes relating to heartbreak and feeling lost, but also finding hope embellished in dread. “No one’s gonna find any answers if you’re just trying to hide from the things you know inside or the truth,” were some lyrics of wisdom Owens laid out for listeners to take in and do what they wish with them.
The acoustic set provided such an intimate mood that took over the room; bodies swaying to and fro, while some stood completely still, eyes too fixated on the performance that possessed a craft worth devout studying. The humbleness of Owens is another element that I think captured many so easily. He incorporated the fluttering notes of a harmonica riff eloquently, bringing us back to the top of the night, with a familiar folk vibe resurfacing the stage.
The closeness the performances promoted lingered long after Owens made his way off stage to the merch booth. Individuals mingled and relished in the sweetness of the tunes that rang through No Fun on an otherwise seemingly bland Tuesday night.
