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Written by Alexy Irving Saturday, 13 July 2013 15:05

Once the crowd picked up, the artists then began to represent the actual reason the fans and I had come, to see a good show by a good, enthused musician.

 

The Demo, St. Louis

The show opened with group, Teen, who shared cheek kisses on stage. During the first song, the four group band began looking very agitated due to the lack of crowd. Performing in a room of about 20 people would do that to you.

Teen gave off the vibe of being a group that had practiced a million times in a garage, and it definitely paid off. The lead singer alone appeared to know what she was doing on the stage. I don't know about you, but I personally cannot tune an electric guitar by ear.

After about the fifth song, the crowd doubled in size, and I could feel the band’s energy level growing. They began to smile more at the crowd and exchanged grins with the other band members.

You could tell by the big smiles on each member’s face that the last song was their favorite. During this song each member of the band took turns singing a part, and it was this song that remained in my ears well after their set was complete.

In a pair of blue high-waisted corduroys and cowboy boots, the show’s headliner, Eleanor Friedberger, came out with her four piece band, each already sweating. All four of the members wore a very serious face that didn't waver throughout the entire first half of their show. I'm not sure if the faces were due to the heat, or if they were really that determined in their performance.

Once Eleanor and her band started to play, the guitars gave off a slow yet jazzy feel, and the drummer played loud enough for the entire Atomic Cowboy to hear. The sound combination worked perfectly together, assisting the vocals that Eleanor was laying down for us.

After Eleanor’s song "Stare at the Sun", the crowd doubled once again. Finally, instead of a sparse group of fans, it now looked and sounded like a gang of fans supporting Eleanor Friedberger and her music.

Once Eleanor introduced her four band members, they started truly performing. Eleanor started dancing during her songs and her two sibling guitarists jammed around and showed a lot more pep in their step. The keyboardist began moving his hips and head, and the drummer started making the faces of a professional drummer—disgusted at how amazing he is.

During this show, I learned how much energy is drawn by the performers from the crowd. Once the crowd picked up, the artists then began to represent the actual reason the fans and I had come, to see a good show by a good, enthused musician. It sucked that it took so much time to gain such a high energy level, but once it was gained, the show was great. There was more crowd participation, (i.e. jumping, stomping, and jigging about) and the songs sounded a great percentage better. Towards the end of the show, I really enjoyed myself. Teen and Eleanor Friedberger received a gold star from me, for not only beginning their performance with a sparse crowd but for continuing to get better throughout the night. | Alexy Irving

Photos: Alexy Irving