DEER TICK with CLANDROID.
Bedford Esquires Lev 2 Friday 17th August 2012.
Ah! At last I finally caught up with DEER TICK when they last played in Bedford at the much missed Civic Theatre (A lovely little venue sadly closed down by an Arts and Culture hating Mayor of Bedford) a few years ago; it was due to my time restrictions that I only caught their wonderful support act Caitlin Rose. Tonight they make it to Bedford Esquires and what an impression it leaves on everybody, wonderful memories and such nice people.
Hailing from the U.S.A. this five piece come complete with a fantastic credit from Rolling Stone Magazine who described the bands latest album, Divine Providence, thus “If their first couple of Albums got Rhode Islands Deer Tick branded as an alt country act their latest is a drunk leaning in to your face and yelling you don’t know me man”. Judging by their show this evening, I know exactly where that reviewer was coming from. Succinctly adding to this quote I would further add that in four albums, Deer Tick have gone from Buffalo Springfield to Buffalo Tom!
In front of home fans, the baulk of their set does indeed lean towards their latest offering. At the top of the show and sandwiched between the 2007 War Elephant album, tracks of Ashamed and Baltimore Blues No. 1 is The Bump, it opens aggressively “I got a lust for life and dangerous mind in my trail of dust, who knows what you’ll find?” musically it sits on a bed of bar room blues. This lilt works in conjunction with the rich gravely vocals.
Frontman John Mc Caulley is without doubt the driving force and catalyst of Deer Tick. On Main Street his smoke battered larynx is complemented excellently with some haunting keyboards. The composition seems to possess an aching message of soaring optimism. Walking Out The Door comes complete with its sixties Mersey beat riff on a nu country tune, it works well. With so many obvious influences in their work, a little bit of that magical mid eighties ‘Paisley Underground’ never goes amiss and Deer Tick pay their tribute and dues on Make Believe, my its quite a compliment.
Clowning Around isn’t a light hearted ditty, it’s a song written and sung by drummer Dennis Ryan. This dark and rather macabre take is the true story of an American serial killer who for charity would dress up as a clown at children’s parties.
Funny word sees an enraptured Esquires crowd treated to the much vaunted Deer Tick charisma. It’s sprinkled with genius melodies and the harmonies soar. This is the undoubted bonus when every member of the band contributes vocally. A gentle blues rock feel is topped off with a country edged bliss.
Apparently Deer Tick have performed sets as a band called Deervana! The legendary Seattle grunge exponents would I feel been quite proud of Walls, its culled from the Tim E.P. and it’s the loudest and heaviest featured tonight. Mr McCauleys vocals hail from the spirit of Cobain. At the other end of the scale, image wise, is Lets All Go To The Bar, which is basically very dumbed down punk ditty is a fitting swilled sing along finale.
Although it’s not a huge turn out tonight, this crowd must rank as one of the most knowledgeable and above all respectful that I have witnessed here for a long time. They do however set very vocal and animated when they demand an encore. A couple of contrasting choices state the payer’s requests. Firstly John brings a touch of calm to the situation as he quietly sits at the keyboard. He follows this up in raucous mode as the band perform an elongated mashed up rock n roll jam. I picked out Roadrunner amongst the main musical pieces. An over the top drum solo brings events to a close.
Rather oddly I feel a young blues band called CLANDROID are the support tonight. For the local musos reading this I can only describe them as almost a Ben Poole band tribute act (only with very much less vest action, sorry ladies). All the songs are fairly long. Just standard blues with plenty of ‘guitar widdling’. Personality is not their strong point but they really are helped by a patient and attentive audience, many if not all would certainly have never seen Clandroid before. This is a band very much in a select niche, just for the blues aficionados.
Review by Martin Stapleton www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk