As frazzled as I was that night, I had fond memories of Aan's performance back in July. Between those memories and the fact that I'd never seen either of the acts on this bill, I had enough reason to check out this show.
I counted about fifty people when I arrived at the Red Room. By the time that Aan played, the crowd would number about seventy or seventy-five. The crowd looked composed mainly of twenty-somethings with a few middle-aged folks here and there. They could've been family members: Aan's Bud Wilson gave a shout-out to his parents at one point in their set.
Local group the Oneirics opened the night. Aside from sounding a little ragged here and there, this quartet did extremely well for their first gig ever. Clean, boyish vocals, dreamy guitar and sparkling keyboard work meshed with serene basslines and intricate, propulsive drumming. Watch out for this group.
Aan played next. This Portland group's music didn't sound as odd as I remembered. It could have been because I wasn't nearly as sun-fried as I was back in July. It could also have been because, in the months between that show and this one, I've heard quite a few bands who go for a somewhat similar sound. In any case, their pretty melodies, waves of synth, droning guitar riffs and smoothly angular drumwork still sounded plenty quirky. They may have been even more pleasurable too.
Incan Abraham closed out the night. Remember what I wrote earlier about hearing bands who kinda sound like Aan? This Los Angeles band was a case in point. However, their light, wailed vocals, their poppy melodies, their dreamy synth waves and their rumbling, pseudo-African beats created a moodier and more ethereal sound that Aan's. That helped differentiate them enough to make this set enjoyable in its own right. The crowd seemed to thin out slightly, but plenty of people stayed to dance and cheer.
You can find info on these groups on Facebook and elsewhere online. Special thanks to Eric Gilbert and Duck Club Presents.
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