Redrick Sultan, The Bare Bones and Jory Edwards @ the Crux (12/21/12)

There's something rather beautiful, I think, in the fact that so much stuff was happening around Boise on the night when the world was supposed to end (again).  Wicked Wonderland held its Zombie Apocalypse show at Bogie's, Hot Dog Sandwich threw a punk rock party at the Red Room and Liquid featured a couple of acts that seemed interesting.  I opted to see Orriginal Promotions' show at the Crux because it featured Redrick Sultan, a group I'd never encountered before who hailed all the way from Vancouver.

I counted only fourteen people at the Crux when I arrived.  That number would dwindle to eight (including me) and then five when Redrick Sultan played.  Disappointing, especially considering that I'd see at least three times as many people doing karaoke at Neurolux later.  Oh well.

Local musician Jory Edwards opened the night.  His choice of covers tended towards the corny side ("Hallelujah"--again?  "Freebird"--really?), but his steady strumming and clean, cannily restrained tenor put them across respectably.  Also, I had to give the guy credit for showing me that actually, yeah, Dave Matthews and Third Eye Blind did write some good songs (I know--I'll turn in my hipster card after Christmas).  Maybe he could add "Wildflowers" to his repertoire of Tom Petty songs.  Always liked that one.

The Bare Bones played next.  This was their second gig playing with new bassist Ben Zickau, Chris Brock said at one point.  He seems to be fitting in nicely: Zickau's basslines may not have been as supple as Nathan Norton's, but they still sounded plenty fluid and added considerable weight and muscle to the band's groove.  Meanwhile, Aaron Bossart's drumming sounded as furious and dynamic as ever.  Last but definitely not least, Chris Brock seems to be growing into the role of frontman very well indeed: his vocals showed extra strength and assurance, and his sharp soloing matched them.

Redrick Sultan closed out the night.  This was another one of those sets that remind me why I keep writing this blog.  Only eight people were there to see them, but this Vancouver group played as if there were eighty or more.  Their goofy, oddball, audacious mix of jazz, funk, hard rock and reggae made me think of the Minutemen if they'd stretched out beyond the two/three minute mark more often.  Chanking guitar, liquid basslines and syncopated, astonishingly kinetic drumwork supported boyish vocals and tasteful (but not too tasteful) flute and trombone solos (the guitarist got some good licks in too).  Their charming tunes and strong, sprightly groove elicited wild applause from the handful of folks inside the Crux and a considerable amount of rubbernecking from passers-by.  Hopefully, these guys will play Boise again and to a larger audience.

You can find info on these acts on Facebook and elsewhere online.