So, I was pretty psyched last night to go see Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter. For one, the show was taking place at the Ninth Ward, one of my favorite venues in Buffalo. For two, I've really been feelin' Jesse Sykes' new album, Marble Son, lately. Jesse's been getting a lot of press as of late for her engaging, electric performances live and she surely didn't dissapoint. More on that in a bit...
I got there with my buddy Danny shortly before the band hit the stage. For those not in the know the Ninth Ward is part of Babeville, home of Ani Difranco's Righteous Babe Records. It is a giant church that's been converted to part record label/part performance venue/part other cool independent stuff. The Ninth Ward is actually the basement of the much larger Asbury Hall. I personally favor the Ward as it is smaller and more intimate. It has the feel of an art space and a bar simultaneously and the brick foundation and red lighting produces a beautiful decor; the perfect setting for a show.
Jesse hit stage at 8pm, accompanied by her band. Immediately blasting into her set with a powerful desert-groove influenced instrumental tune, you couldn't help but picture the sereneneness of nature. Great songs have the ability to transport you to another time and place. In my mind, I had travelled to some far away desert, late at night after the sun had fallen. Like I said, great songs take you somewhere. After the instrumental tune Jesse and the band hit their stride with a psychedelic number. Her voice is extremely soothing, yet powerful at the same time, a head nod to Jefferson Airplane, taking it her own direction.
Perhaps the best moments were when Jesse was accompanied by her band mates for vocal harmonies. They were striking in their ability to gel and build on a song, especially with her guitarists beautiful unique leads rising over those vocals. Those leads man...they were ripping, and they were so powerful.
Jesse made note several times that she was fighting a fever which made the performance all that more impressive. You never would have known. The set was a beautiful, delicate balance between soft, sullen folk songs and, at times, raging psychedelic hard rock. Very few artists are able to pull those dynamics off convincingly but Jesse pulled it off in spades. Unfortunately we weren't able to stick around for the headliners, the Sadies, although I'm sure they killed it too as they're a great group with a great live show.
All in all, a killer performance by a group your going to be hearing about very soon.
