Opening band The Essex Green was great: boppy, male/female vocal switches, goofy lyrics, really filling the room with fun, albeit from an almost folky perspective.

Camera Obscura sounded pretty, but man what a downer. Played (literally) only three upbeat songs. The very first one (Let’s get out of this country…) and the very last two. Midway through, the lead commented “Hmmm, didn’t quite realize when we were writing up the set list that we were playing all our slowest songs back to back…” Gee, that would’ve been a great time to call an audible and rock one out, but no such luck. Perhaps it wasn’t an intimate-enough venue for them; I imagine this would have been a great show to listen to somewhere like, for example, Joe’s Pub. But in a standing-only BIG drafty venue full of people looking for something to bring them up (or in out of the cold) it wasn’t great.

Note to self: Logan Square Auditorium: no easy transit options to get home and not easy to find a cab afterward. Maybe don’t go there when it’s below zero out next time!!!

Alison liked them better at the show she saw, if you want to read a more positive review, and FYI they did the same ‘you can call me Al’ stuff at the show I was at.