Pleasantly surprised. That was my reaction to yesterday's show at the Mohawk, as I found my way walking out the door. Every now and then you hit upon a show not really knowing what to expect and you hope that your reaction is something like mine was last night. You see, I had listened to a few tracks off of Jonny Corndawg's Down on the Bikini Line and was well-versed in Jessica's material. Unfortunately, as I grow older (and some may say more jaded) it takes a bit more to impress me. Regular showgoers know this feeling all too well. Nevertheless, I have to say there were "moments" of yesterday's show, and as a music enthusiast you hope for, and treasure those moments.
We arrived shortly before Jonny Corndawg's set. The crowd was few and far between and I had hoped that more people would show up before he hit the stage; thankfully they did. You always feel bad for the openers on small tours. Nobody is there to see them and most of the time no one even pays attention. Who wants to play to an empty room, especially when your out of town and away from the comforts of family, friends and home?
I don't think Jonny gave two thoughts about it. The second he got on stage, you could tell this is where he was meant to be. Comfortable and loose he dove right into his catalog, now two albums deep. To describe Jonny's thing is difficult. He rides a fine line between being quirky and endearing. His songs are heartfelt but he doesn't seem to take himself seriously at all. I'm sure you could figure that out just by looking at the song titles; "Silver Pantie Liners", "Life of a Bear" or "Undercover Dad" . That doesn't mean that this thing is a joke. Dudes got sense of humor, undoubtedly, but his songs are sung with such feeling and heart you get the sense he's putting a funny spin on some serious stuff thats happened in his life. The truth of the matter is that I couldn't put my finger on Jonny and those are the artists I usually like the most. His between-song banter was just as entertaining as his songs and I think that if he keeps this up, we'll be hearing about him in the next couple of years.
After a brief intermission, Jessica hit the stage, accompanied by her band. Visually, it was a very interesting dynamic. You had Jessica, pretty as could be, singing her songs softly, almost expressionless, side by side with a komono-wearing guitar player and long-haired bassist, both of whom were rocking out like they were playing Woodstock. The sound was phenomenal; Jessica's voice soared through the air like it was floating and the mix was a perfect blend of smooth acoustics, and sharp accompanying rhythms. The tone of the electric guitar was awesome and lent to her vocals masterfully (Shout out guitar man!). Something about Jessica is extremely captivating. At just 21, she handles the stage like a pro and her aura is intoxicating. When she sings you feel like she's releasing some inner demons (whether they are real or imaginary is anyones guess, but it's hard to sing about the dark if you've never actually been there). As per the set list, Jessica hit from both of her albums as well as her White Lies EP; a good mix of material that showcased her abilities and proved why she is one of the most talked about artists in 2011.
Night's like last night are why I treasure music. When artists are on, there is something intangible that happens, a kind of introspective jolt to your system. As music fans we wait for them. We cannot force it, nor can we predict it. Do yourself a favor and buy Jonny and Jessica's albums now.
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